r/worldnews • u/ArgentineBeauty • 21h ago

Russia/Ukraine ‘We Were Mistaken’: Putin Admits Russia Was Unprepared for Ukrainian Strikes on Oil Refineries

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/83674
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u/abzemer 18h ago edited 11h ago

Russia was feared by the West for many years because of their grand military parades and exercises. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the world saw that it was just a bunch of outdated military equipment piloted by a bunch of uncoordinated alcoholics.

The only reason it's still carrying on: they have tremendous resources and capital, and disposable soldiers they could keep losing.

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u/DodgerGreywing 17h ago

indispensable soldiers they could keep losing

Dispensable soldiers. That's their whole modus operandi. Just throw soldiers at a wall until they stick.

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u/Remarkable_Level_200 18h ago

The only reason Russia is still standing is cause they have nukes otherwise NATO could have just came in and stopped the war in a week

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u/Foygroup 16h ago

The USA budget for nuke weapons maintenance was around $85B a year.

The Russian military budget just passed $100B a year for the entire military, nukes, army, navy, and air force.

They supposedly have equal or more devices than the USA. The math doesn’t math that with all their corruption, most if not all their devices can even operate as expected.

(Wording this in such a way not to get the post flagged as possible)

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u/b0w3n 14h ago

They don't need enough working nukes to annihilate the world, all they need is one.

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u/sukabot_lepson 7h ago

US dropped 2 nukes not so long ago and noone cares, so one is definitely not enough

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u/Curvanelli 12h ago

one nuke is a small country at best. devastating but far from destorying the world.

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u/Foygroup 7h ago

Today’s nukes are much larger than the old ones, so even the threat of using one can carry a lot of weight.

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u/DoggoKing4937 2h ago

To put it in perspective, the Tsar Bomba was so powerful that the scientists who detonated it deliberately lowered its yield because they were legitimately afraid that it could ignite the Earth’s atmosphere and annihilate all life. That was more than 60 years ago. Think of how far technology has come since then and remember that the same can be said for nuclear weapons. If a full-scale nuclear war were to break out, the world would almost certainly be utterly screwed.

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u/Curvanelli 4h ago

im aware but one nuke is still far from destroying the world. an entire small country being wiped out also isn’t an enormous threat so its not like im saying it has no weight. Im just being realistic.

It also would suck if Nukes were used, especially considering my entire country is in range (only poland is between us and Russia…)

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u/Tschulligom 3h ago

Russia has ICBMs, every country is in range.

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u/Curvanelli 3h ago

feels worse if its almost your neighbour.

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u/Mechasteel 9h ago

That sounds a lot more expensive than "being scared of nukes".

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u/WarpedNation 3h ago

I think its wildly optimistic that NATO would come in and stop Russia, even if they didnt have nukes for a non-nato member. Most countries are very hesitant to go to war for anything other than their own choices/reasons. Theyve also shown that realistically they dont want to use resources unless absolutely necessary.

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u/sukabot_lepson 15h ago

Do you ever consider the possibility that this war primarily benefits the EU and NATO? That it serves as a testing ground for larger powers? It’s a convenient way to justify cutting social spending while funneling more money toward major defense contractors, who profit handsomely from the conflict. In peacetime, it’s hard to explain rising costs of living to the public; during a war, you can simply point to the "enemy" across the frontline. I’m asking because this is exactly the narrative being used in Russia right now

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u/rootpl 17h ago

Nah. That's nonsense, bombing of Youglsavia by NATO took from March until June before they capitulated. NATO is powerful but not that powerful. It would probably take half a year or more for Russia to cave and surrender.

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u/easilydistracted269 18h ago

Russia ceased to be a threat after the wall came down. The Soviet Union fragmented and their only real threat was nuclear

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u/ratpH1nk 16h ago

Probably a decade or so before that really. The CIA was suspicious of this in the late 1970s.

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u/Flooding_Puddle 17h ago

No, the only reason they are still carrying on is because they mobilized their entire economy and it will collapse if they stop the war effort. Putin and the oligarchs have tremendous wealth but even that is starting to not be enough based on the signs coming out of Russia.

They also dont have "indispensable soldiers", their population has cratered since the war started, theyve lost almost 1.5 million soldiers, and have done everything possible outside of a full on general conscription from getting soldiers from North Korea to emptying out the prisons and making every business pick someone to send to keep the meat waves going.

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u/12TonBeams 17h ago

I’m not the most well versed in history, but hasn’t that pretty much been Russia the last century or so? Not the greatest tactics equipment etc just a shit ton of people to keep throwing into the fire? Genuine question cause that’s what I usually see it made out to be.

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u/anteatersaredope 17h ago

*disposable

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u/serchq 18h ago

you could replace Russia with USA, and Ukraine with Iran, and still would be pretty accurate

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u/abzemer 18h ago

The only minor difference is that the USA is running out of money, and attacking Iran thousands of miles away from home is VERY different than neighboring countries. But I see what you're implying.

If Russia can't even get close to winning a war of it's neighboring country that is like 1/8 their size, probably best to call it quits.

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u/RekttalofBlades 16h ago

Also, US war with Iran has consisted of rocket strikes and air raids. That’s pretty much the extent of it. Russia has thousands of troops on the ground to physically fight with the full breadth of their military capabilities and have achieved squat.

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u/Lagfoundry 16h ago

Exactly, people out here comparing the two when all America really did was shoot off some ammunition and rockets. Because they don’t have to play by the same rules. Those strikes were meant for long term effects on the country not fight fire with fire

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u/FreeSpeechIsDeadge 17h ago

If you think the US is running out of money, you’re deluded.

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u/IdleAstronaut 16h ago

They are depleting munitions faster than they can be replaced. Leaving themselves vulnerable other situations that may occur, the stockpiles are large and well maintained but not infinite. Also their alliances are being eroded which may restrict the US ability to reach conflict zones and other interests in future.

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u/playful_sorcery 16h ago

it is the most i debated nation in history.

ya it can keep “funding”
a war but at the cost of quality of life in the usa.

it’s not only even just fighting iran it’s fighting its allies through trade furthur hurting it

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u/lindoavocado 16h ago

Bro what. We literally have the largest amount of debt than we ever have before.

Please educate yourself

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u/Lagfoundry 16h ago

Debt doesn’t mean lack there of, far from it. A country doesn’t play by the same rules with debt as you and I. So having the largest debt doesn’t tell the whole story.

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u/nizari-spirit 15h ago

You have no idea who we are in debt to, do you? My grandpa was “in debt” his entire life, all while running a high cash flow business and living extremely lavishly.

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u/Opening_Cheesecake54 16h ago

Congrats! You made the dumbest post I have seen in 24hrs

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u/nizari-spirit 15h ago

Iran is on the other side of the world wtf lol

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u/Lagfoundry 16h ago

Feared is bit a of stretch when it comes to America and Russia. Everyone fears nuclear weapons, but as far as their military might goes that’s definitely not the case. The American military knew their equipment was trash it was no secret either that most of what they had was from Cold War era, politicians fear political backlash more than they ever did putins military the only exception being nukes.

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u/Shroomtune 17h ago

It’s best not to underestimate Russia. They always seem to have more soldiers than their enemies have bullets.

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u/anomanderrake1337 16h ago

Kind of crazy that anyone else than Zelensky would've capitulated. But Zelensky wasn't a politician.

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u/leafhog 15h ago

We were afraid because of their nuclear weapons.

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u/XuanChun88 15h ago

China, Korea, Iran, financial and military assistance. Plus Western Europe Still Buying Fuel From Russia!

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u/jlinehan999 13h ago

America is making the same mistake in Iran. Often the most powerful weapon you have is how powerful you are perceived to be. Once you are exposed, it is very hard to get back to that perception.

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u/Nakitu-Michichi 12h ago

piloted by a bunch of uncoordinated alcoholics

The fact that alcohol(ism) is an actual and significant factor in the lack of efficiency of the Russian army is pretty damn hilarious.

That's what happens when you have a nation of chronic drunkards.

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u/CabinetFun7381 1h ago

And USA was feared by the entire world until Trump tried to get Iran..