Russia's callousness towards its own soldiers is undermining its combat power Jack Watling
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The cause of Russias military debacle in Ukraine however lies in its callousness towards human life, Ukrainian and Russian. Throughout the war in Donbas, the families of Russian soldiers killed in action were told their relatives had died in training accidents. In Syria, Russia orchestrated the targeting of civilian infrastructure to break the will of the resistance, while waging a relentless propaganda campaign against civilian medical organisations trying to save lives.
For the Ukrainian people, watching what Russia has done to Syria and Donbas, the will to resist is strong. Putin has framed the war as the correction of a historical mistake that brought about Ukraines existence. The struggle is viewed by Ukrainians as existential. Russias attempts to divide Ukrainian society therefore have failed utterly.
Russias ruthless treatment of its own soldiers, while concealable at a small scale, has now brought about operational repercussions. Having not told its troops that they were about to go to war, its army has been left unprepared, logistically and psychologically. Morale is low, limiting the combat power of Russian forces. With too little time to plan, Russian logistics and communications are in disarray, slowing its pace of advance. This gives the Ukrainians crucial time to prepare their defences and organise a protracted resistance.
Unfortunately, the failure of Russias initial thrusts into Ukraine means it has now reverted to a more traditional reliance on heavy artillery and the surrounding of Ukraines cities. This shelling is indiscriminate and systematic. The aim is to break the will of the military and civilian defenders, depriving them of water and food and killing them with fires. This is currently being carried out against Kharkiv and Mariupol, and the Russians are trying to position themselves to similarly attack Kyiv. Putin set out to reunite a fellow people. Instead, he is making a desert and calling it peace.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/04/russias-callousness-towards-its-own-soldiers-is-undermining-its-combat-power