[81alum]

I agree largely with what Treefence just posted.  The Ukrainians are not now able to fly more than about 5 of their 37 current Mig 29s because the airspace is so saturated with anti-air missiles, and the Russians have sharply limited their flights over Ukraine too for the same reason.  The air war is and likely will remain a stalemate.  Additional Migs would mostly be a symbolic expression of support. 

I am also struck by how useless tanks and armor have become in this war.

We may be seeing a paradigm shift in warfare, in which individual soldiers with anti tank and anti aircraft missiles are able to defeat far more sophisticated (and expensive) weapons.  I am beginning to think about what happened to battleships in WWII. 

But in addition to a possible paradigm-shift, and in addition to Putin's disastrous decision making, this war is truly exposing are the costs of corruption in Putin's kleptocracy.  The Soviet Union--for all its faults--limited corruption and inspired its soldiers.  The same cannot be said for Putin's Russia.  Twenty year old MREs, fuel shortages, untrained soldiers--this is what rampant corruption produces.

Makes me even more worried about the Russian nuclear arsenal.  Neglect and decay and poor training is NOT the right strategy for maintaining a nuclear force.

[81alum]

I agree largely with what Treefence just posted.  The Ukrainians are not now able to fly more than about 5 of their 37 current Mig 29s because the airspace is so saturated with anti-air missiles, and the Russians have sharply limited their flights over Ukraine too for the same reason.  The air war is and likely will remain a stalemate.  Additional Migs would mostly be a symbolic expression of support. 

I am also struck by how useless tanks and armor have become in this war.

We may be seeing a paradigm shift in warfare, in which individual soldiers with anti tank and anti aircraft missiles are able to defeat far more sophisticated (and expensive) weapons.  I am beginning to think about what happened to battleships in WWII. 

But in addition to a possible paradigm-shift, and in addition to Putin's disastrous decision making, this war is truly exposing are the costs of corruption in Putin's kleptocracy.  The Soviet Union--for all its faults--limited corruption and inspired its soldiers.  The same cannot be said for Putin's Russia.  Twenty year old MREs, fuel shortages, untrained soldiers--this is what rampant corruption produces.

Makes me even more worried about the Russian nuclear arsenal.  Neglect and decay and poor training is NOT the right strategy for maintaining a nuclear force.