Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, after launching a large-scale war against Ukraine, obviously counted on a quick victory, but the occupying army of the Russian Federation got bogged down in the criminal war unleashed by the Kremlin and has already lost the most professional units and advanced equipment.
Points of attention
- The occupying army of the Russian Federation is losing combat capability in the war against Ukraine, which leads to a decrease in its military power.
- Russia is rapidly replenishing personnel losses using controversial recruitment methods, but this can affect the morale and effectiveness of the troops.
- Projections show that by 2026, the Russian military may face significant challenges in maintaining its combat power and effectiveness due to resource depletion.
- The loss of equipment and the large number of wounded and killed testify to the low resistance of the Russian invaders in the war against Ukraine.
- Russia's military, once considered a global power, faces an uncertain future due to losses and depleted resources.
The Russian army is weakening more and more as the war against Ukraine continues
Putin's initial plan to quickly take over Ukraine did not go as expected. Ukrainian forces, with strong international support, managed to resist and repel the Russian offensive, turning what should have been a matter of days into a conflict that has now lasted more than two years. This resilience forced Russia to start a long and expensive struggle, revealing cracks in its military armor, the publication emphasizes.
It is noted that Western intelligence forecasts regarding the long-term need to restore the combat capability of the Russian Federation's criminal army did not come true.
The aggressor country, in a short period, restored part of the losses received in the war against Ukraine, spending crazy money on it.
So, in 2024, the Russian Federation will allocate 7% of its GDP to defense — about 140 billion dollars.
However, according to the forecasts of the publication analysts, over the next three years, the spending of the aggressor country on its own military needs will exceed 400 billion dollars.
The authors of the material emphasize that Russia rapidly increased the number of its troops to replenish personnel losses.
Three hundred thousand new soldiers were recruited in 2022, and the same number will replenish the Russian army by mid-2024.
However, most recruits are almost untrained and have no combat experience.
Russia has also used controversial recruitment methods, including conscripting foreigners, prisoners and mercenaries from groups such as the Wagner PMC. These actions raise serious questions about the long-term effectiveness and morale of these troops, the publication notes.
What might await the Russian Federation's army if the war against Ukraine continues?
Journalists emphasize that since the beginning of the criminal war against Ukraine, the occupying army of the Russian Federation has suffered colossal losses.
After all, only by the end of 2023 it lost almost 90% of its pre-war troops: 120,000 killed and 200,000 wounded.
The Russian occupiers suffered heavy losses in equipment — thousands of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery installations were destroyed.
According to the publication, even increased investment in the defence sector and cooperation with China, North Korea, and other countries leaves the future of the Russian army uncertain.
In particular, the rapid increase in the size of the Russian Federation's occupying army and the use of old equipment models can provide only short-term benefits.
Projections show that by 2026, Russia may face serious challenges in maintaining its combat power and effectiveness due to resource depletion and unsustainable practices. Russia's military, once considered a global power, now faces an uncertain future. The war in Ukraine has revealed critical vulnerabilities, from heavy casualties in men and equipment to dependence on foreign support and controversial recruitment practices. Although Russia has demonstrated resilience and the ability to quickly recover, the long-term sustainability of its military efforts is highly questionable, analysts of the publication emphasise.
