How the Ukraine War Is Doing Long Term Damage To Russia's Military

Putin has squandered his most highly trained and motivated soldiers as well as much of his best equipment in a fruitless Ukraine war he cannot win. 

Russia's military will feel the loss of the good soldiers and officers - as well as suffer the impact of the mediocrities who remain - for a generation. JL 

Dara Massicot reports RAND:

The long-term damage to the Russian army, marines, VDV from this war goes beyond the numbers of men killed and equipment destroyed. This will be a story of a military generation that is damaged or gone, and who remains. Heavy losses to professional NCOs , junior and field-grade officers means the (better) people who signed up in the last 10-15 years are gone. Those left unscathed are conscripts, officers or NCOs they didn't trust, senior officers who received commissions as Soviet officers (50/60 year olds) and those who survived in Ukraine, bringing back combat stress/trauma/criminality with them. This will be a toxic brew for years to come. The long-term damage to the Russian army, marines, VDV from this war cannot be overstated. It goes beyond the numbers of men killed and equipment destroyed. This will also be a story of a military generation that is damaged or gone, and who remains.

 

Heavy losses to what professional NCOs RS had, junior + field-grade officers means that the group of people who signed up in the last 10-15 years, when the military tried to reform and who knew something even a little different than 90s or Soviet military life, are gone.

 

When this is over, the parts of those service branches left unscathed are conscripts, those officers or NCOs they didn't trust to go in the first place (who are back at home garrisons), senior officers who received commissions as Soviet officers (50/60 year olds) and ...those who survived in Ukraine, bringing back combat stress/trauma/criminality with them, right back into the barracks. This will be a toxic brew for incoming conscripts for years to come. Without significant oversight the conditions hazing could get out of control .

 

Then, add in the mass casualty events that the Russian military has not coped with since WW2, being sent in unprepared for the Kremlin's war of choice, the lies, the war crimes, atrocities, the list goes on and on - Not to mention the death of the Russian arms industry's international sales. No one wants this garbage now. India and Philippines both already canceled big deals. Western arms on the other hand..

 

In sum, the numbers of Russian casualties are severe enough -- but the damage that will ricochet around inside those service branches after this war is over, will be worse.