Statistics in times of war are never reliable. When looking online for the number of Russian Soldier deaths in Ukraine, I came across all sorts of estimates; some quite low, others unbelievably high.
Probably the most reliable current figure is 508,780. This comes from an 'official' source. The figure is almost approaching Napoleon's 600,000 disastrous number of deaths in Russia in 1812.
The number of Ukrainian Soldier deaths is given as 31,000. This sounds unreliably low!
Damage to buildings, businesses, industry, and agriculture is inestimable. Who, I wonder will rebuild?
It's a strange war. Very one-sided. I fail to understand why Moscow or St Petersburg haven't been bombed; not unlike the Falklands War where the British kindly allowed Buenos Aries to remain untouched. I wouldn't promise the Argies that that would be the case if they attacked again.
Putin and the Russian people must have very thick skins. They are losing vast amounts of men and kit. It must be costing a fortune, and Ukraine itself is being reduced to rubble, where or what is the advantage?
It's about time that the Russian people experienced what the Ukrainians are having to endure; maybe then they will understand what their 'heroic leader' is doing.
What is the purpose; other than Communist expansionism?
The first casualty of war is truth. Not sure who first said it (Aeschylus in greek tragedy, Hiram Johnson re WW1?) but so very true (and not just in respect of Russian/Ukrainian deaths, we've seen the same with Palestinian death numbers being way out of line with any reality).
ReplyDeleteHamas brought it upon themselves, and knew there would be reprisals, whereas the people of Ukraine were just minding their own business. I can't understand how the world let it happen.
DeleteMy 23 June WW3 post and the comments may help you to understand or, if you don't want to read that, you could look at Ukraine happenings in 2014 which have a direct relevance to the Russian invasion.
ReplyDeleteI've seen plenty about why they invaded, but none of it seems worthy of all the bloodshed and destruction. What will they gain in the end?
DeleteHe never forgave Gorbechov for the Soviet Union break up and 2014 events gave him an excuse to get Ukraine back. He didn't need much of a push. The war started then.
DeleteIf Russia is to gain economic advantage from their invasion, several years must pass before they achieve it. There's so much repairing to do and will it really be worth it? All those young Russian men dead... such a terrible and very avoidable tragedy. In the meantime, Russia remains a pariah state.
ReplyDeleteLike in this country after WWI there will be countless women and children counting the cost of the missing men. Will they be thinking that it was worth it?
DeleteIf Russia are to rebuild at some stage, that will be yet more huge expense. I don't think Putin could have imagined how costly it would all become.
DeletePutin wants to bring back the USSR and he continues to drive war; China is a supporter. The devastation in Ukraine is unthinkable yet very much reality.
ReplyDeleteHe now has support from China and N Korea. All the 'baddies' are clubbing together.
DeleteA madman needs no purpose.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are plenty about. How come they manage to gain power???
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