this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2023
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Russia has lost a staggering 87 percent of the total number of active-duty ground troops it had prior to launching its invasion of Ukraine and two-thirds of its pre-invasion tanks, a source familiar with a declassified US intelligence assessment provided to Congress told CNN.

Still, despite heavy losses of men and equipment, Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to push forward as the war approaches its two-year anniversary early next year and US officials are warning that Ukraine remains deeply vulnerable. A highly anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive stagnated through the fall, and US officials believe that Kyiv is unlikely to make any major gains over the coming months.

The assessment, sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, comes as some Republicans have balked at the US providing additional funding for Ukraine and the Biden administration has launched a full-court press to try to get supplemental funding through Congress.

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[–] BaronDoggystyleVonWoof 228 points 11 months ago (11 children)

To be honest, I didn't think Russia would make it to two years. I expected riots, revolution, putin getting killed, etc. It's pretty insane how indifferent the majority of the Russian population is. That makes it even more scary.

[–] [email protected] 244 points 11 months ago (3 children)

They did protest. And everyone was arrested. Then they protested the arrests. And everyone was arrested. Then people just silently stood in groups holding blank signs. And everyone was arrested.

[–] ours 78 points 11 months ago (1 children)

So only another military coup could free Russia from Putin's firm grasp.

But that's why he kept his own military led by weak leadership. And the only paramilitary group he allowed to gain strength ended up attempting a coup against him.

[–] [email protected] 68 points 11 months ago (2 children)

And what a whimsical coup it was

[–] ours 43 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, that was a wild couple of days. Not that Prigozhin and his merry bunch of neo-Nazis would have been that more tempting as leaders of Russia. So the prospects for Russians have usually been "and then it got worse" so it's hard to blame them for not putting their necks on the line for the next despot.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Can't imagine why a fucking Nazi mercenary marching on Moscow couldn't gather grass roots support for the revolution.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

They weren't attempting a revolution, if anything, it was a coup. You don't need grassroots support for that.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

And yet, that was apparently his plan.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago

And it was actually a "coup" against the Minister of Defense which really cranks up the whimsy.

[–] ammonium 34 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Only a very small minority did protest, that's why it didn't work.

[–] [email protected] 51 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That's because Russian "law enforcement" is actually terror, they do everything for the large part of citizens to be too afraid to even speak up not to mention doing anything.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

FTFY. ✌🏽

That's because ~~Russian~~ "law enforcement" is actually terror, they do everything for the large part of citizens to be too afraid to even speak up not to mention doing anything.

[–] Blue_Morpho 71 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It’s pretty insane how indifferent the majority of the Russian population is.

It's identical in the US. 4 years of Trump and all we got was a pro Trump attempted coup.

[–] recapitated 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Trump is too narcissistic and up his own ass to deliberately export pure sadistic evil the way Putin does.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] recapitated 1 points 11 months ago

Yes. He fucked that up... We fucked that up. But I do believe it was out of complete incompetence and absolute density and maybe indifference.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 11 months ago (1 children)

They don't know the war is going badly. They don't know what Western society knows about the war. They're fed state approved propaganda and nothing more. They're also plastered constantly which kills motivation for political upheaval.

[–] Maggoty 17 points 11 months ago

Protest is met with swift arrest and long prison sentences.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago

Well you know how it is. Everyone who knows what's going on left, everyone else just watches TV and believes them because why wouldn't they.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

While the army may be extremely disorsgnized, unfortunately, putin has made internal security extremely solid. Add to that the fact that a great amount of people in russia are politicaly passive or pro Z, I don't think a revolution is coming from the people anytime soon.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

Give it time. It took 3 years of war for the 1917 revolution to start.

[–] Chocrates 7 points 11 months ago

I feel like Ukraine needs to take the fight to Russia for that to work, but that runs the risk of galvanizing the population against Ukraine as well

[–] cman6 6 points 11 months ago

One thing I would add is that the Russian people do want change but any attempt at changing the leadership is met with poisoning and/or long prison sentences. I would highly recommend reading about Alexei Navalny or watching the fascinating documentary