The Economist: "In April 2022, following Russia’s retreat from the north of Ukraine, it controlled 19.6% of Ukrainian territory; its casualties (dead and wounded) were perhaps 20,000. Today Russia occupies 19.2% and its casualties are 800,000, reckon British sources." pic.twitter.com/h3hx04S7i4

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) February 20, 2025

Ian Welsh: OMG WINNING SO HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111

Everyone who is not a goddamn confirmed idiot: Wow, that’s a colossal waste of money and people to achieve nearly nothing.

Literally riding motorbikes over landmines. I assume they must be desperate to try and advance this way https://t.co/l5NQ65IVeq

— David Hambling (@David_Hambling) February 17, 2025

I’ve seen some stupid stuff in my life, but this is next level dumbassery. But that is how the Russians roll…quite literally.

A lot of the people claiming actions in war are “war crimes” that are in no way war crimes comes from the belief that war should be noble and should look like this:

I blame war movies, mostly. The reality is that war is never noble. Never was, and never will be. It’s a horror from end to end and that horror lasts and lives not only through the conflict but for the entire remaining existence of anyone who experienced it.

That said, best is defeating your enemy without either of you having to fight at all. Next best is incinerating your enemy while they are sleeping in their barracks or camp. Or something similar.

And doing that is not a war crime. It’s what you — if you’re competent — should be aiming for as a commander. Your goal is to prevent your enemy from fighting and if you do have to fight, achieving a decisive and quick victory.

If I were charged with fighting a war, I’d do the things below with no compunction. And none of this are war crimes, you clowns:

1) Shooting retreating soldiers.

2) Shooting and destroying fleeing enemy aircraft or watercraft.

3) Dropping thermite on enemy targets.

4) Destroying enemy supplies.

5) Setting up an ambush and then eliminating the enemy with no possibility of resistance.

Not war crimes! That is just how you fight a war if you want to win.

World is full of doofuses.

Hargraves: I want you to think about who has the most macho army in the world—or at least the image of it. Russia, right? They pride themselves on this macho bullshit. But they invaded Ukraine, and guess what? Russia is losing 5-6 soldiers for every one Ukrainian… ego doesn’t mean anything.

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) January 16, 2025 at 12:15 PM

Effective intelligence, control, coordination and communication are the factors that matter. And having enough materiel of all sorts, too, of course. But even with all the materiel in the world, without those first four things I mentioned you’re gonna do nothing but lose.

As the Russians are discovering.