[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

The Russians must be like we were in 2004 dragged into a war based on lies by an autocrat

In a way it's even worse because Russia has mandatory military service, all males by law have to do a year in the military between the age of 18 and 27. So a lot of the soldiers being sent into Ukraine to kill or be killed didn't even make that decision to be a career soldier and won't want to be there at all. I think things like the "broken down tank" video make much more sense with that in mind. Those guys are quite happy to sit by their out-of-fuel tank in the middle of nowhere and hope that they get the order to withdraw before it's fixed... they'll just want to go home.

Also there's the disconnect of the Middle East being half a world away and easier to disconnect from for us ... this would be like the UK govt. conscripting a load of kids just out of school in the UK, handing them guns, and telling them to invade Ireland, where they may well have friends or extended family. Really such a messy situation.

And I think this is being reflected in a lot of the outcomes of these first battles. The Ukrainians are highly motivated and fighting furiously... and while the Russian troops outnumber & outgun them, their hearts are just not in it.