"Russia is on track to command the largest military on the continent," US Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli told Congress.
  • Russia’s army has grown bigger despite sustaining losses when it invaded Ukraine, says a US general.
  • US Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said the Russian army “is actually now larger — by 15 percent.”
  • “Russia is on track to command the largest military on the continent,” Cavoli said.
  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    1307·
    8 months ago

    Yes, that’s what happens when you have forced conscription.

    Large doesn’t mean effective.

    • geogle@lemmy.worldEnglish
      458·
      8 months ago

      Just an FYI, both sides including conscripted soldiers. Russia is 18 - 30, Ukraine is now 25 - 60.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
        2714·
        8 months ago

        Okay? Ukraine also has a fraction of Russia’s population. Why would that give it a larger army?

        • geogle@lemmy.worldEnglish
          337·
          8 months ago

          Your argument before made it seem as though conscription was one sided. I’m not arguing with a stranger on the Internet… that’d be silly

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
            1612·
            8 months ago

            Forced conscription makes a large military in a country with a huge population much larger. Ukraine isn’t even relevant to the equation.

      • frezik@midwest.socialEnglish
        12·
        8 months ago

        My armchair General theory is that conscription works better for defensive armies than offensive. Taking a random 18 year old and forcing them to go fight in a different country only leads to questions of why they are there. Convincing that same 18 year old that they should sign up to go fight in a different country out of misplaced patriotism works a lot better. Ironically, that means giving people the choice tends to support imperialism more than forcing the issue.

        Thanks for coming to my TED talk.