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We already knew Russia was poor as fuck long before the invasion of Ukraine started. We knew that Russia really fell downhill during the fall of the USSR and never recovered. It had a bit of a resurgence due to the coming of Western investors during the 2000s, but its impact was mostly limited to wealthy neighborhoods in large cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow. At one point, Russian people DID express the feeling of wanting to become Western, which can be seen in its films from the 2000s and early 2010s. Alas, 'twas but an ephemeral spark, one that could not be kindled by Russia's native firewood.
The issue is not whether Russians are tough. A jihadi can be tough, as can a militiaman, but toughness is not the key to being successful in contemporary warfare. A poor country like Russia cannot afford to continuously update its military equipment and ensure that its fresh recruits are all capable of coordinating in strategic warfare. Israel, not Russia, is the image of a state capable of effectively waging war, and although I would not doubt that Russia can take over small countries like Georgia and Armenia, I do not believe present-day Russia is capable of taking over large states like Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
