An assessement. After 4 years of war, Russia has managed to "conquer" 1/5 of Ukrainian territory. A rather modest result. At this pace, how much time will it take to "conquer" western Europe (as many fear, including western military experts). At this pace, avery long time.

 

But here is the spoiler: As opposed to Ukrainian forces, Russians (so far) operate with a "voluntary army". By volunteering, a young Russian gets 40 thousand Euros immediately. Should he dye during "operations", the family/wife will get another lavish compensation.

 

A volunteer army. Imagine how much military personell Russia could reqruite if any sort of "conscription" would be implemented.

 

That would be the "game changer" that western military expets fear the most.

7 minutes ago, swissie said:

An assessement. After 4 years of war, Russia has managed to "conquer" 1/5 of Ukrainian territory. A rather modest result. At this pace, how much time will it take to "conquer" western Europe (as many fear, including western military experts). At this pace, avery long time.

 

But here is the spoiler: As opposed to Ukrainian forces, Russians (so far) operate with a "voluntary army". By volunteering, a young Russian gets 40 thousand Euros immediately. Should he dye during "operations", the family/wife will get another lavish compensation.

 

A volunteer army. Imagine how much military personell Russia could reqruite if any sort of "conscription" would be implemented.

 

That would be the "game changer" that western military expets fear the most.

 

Even Putin have to stay within certain parameters, and not use young men from the cities around Moscow, and rather use young restless volunteers from more poor rural districts. Everyone remember they had to pull out of Cetznia because of huge losses and that war still haunts Putin. 

 

And Putin have time, no rush to push over Ukraine, since right now, the Ukraine starts to get tired of the war, and Ukraines worst enemy is themselves, especially thinking of the corruption scandals, and the other end, Trump who just want it to end for any price. 

2 hours ago, swissie said:

After 4 years of war, Russia has managed to "conquer" 1/5 of Ukrainian territory.

Thank you for this great news! Vlad supporters and Z guys are pleased with new achievements.

14 hours ago, Hummin said:

 

Even Putin have to stay within certain parameters, and not use young men from the cities around Moscow, and rather use young restless volunteers from more poor rural districts. Everyone remember they had to pull out of Cetznia because of huge losses and that war still haunts Putin. 

 

And Putin have time, no rush to push over Ukraine, since right now, the Ukraine starts to get tired of the war, and Ukraines worst enemy is themselves, especially thinking of the corruption scandals, and the other end, Trump who just want it to end for any price. 

Putin has still time. 3 more years...

After 4 years, Russia has not conquered 20% of Ukrainian territory. It might currently hold 20%, but in February 2022, before invasion, Russia held about 10% of Ukrainian territory. At one point, when Ukraine was on its heels rocking, and were literally loading up the Molotovs, Russia held 27%. They were pushed back.

 

The reason Putin doesn't enable mass conscription is not out of concern for the young Russian. Those contractors are not young. The average age of a contract soldier by the end of 2024 was nearly 50 years old, according to the Moscow Mayor's office. Russian law prevents mass conscription. He calls it a Special Military Operation because to call it a War is to admit he broke Russian domestic law. There are numerous cases of conscripts essentially being tricked into becoming contract soldiers. Moreover, the conscript soldiers who find themselves on the front line and i injured are being denied the compensation payments promised to contract soldiers. Surgeons are even refusing to diagnose such injuries as battle injuries, because to do so would implicate them in an illegal act.

 

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-conscripts-war-combat/33415104.html

 

As for the sign on bonuses, and compensation. This is mostly paid by the regions, not the federal government. The bonuses promised vary by region. Moreover, they have been recently cut.

 

https://www.euronews.com/2025/12/02/russia-cuts-troop-bonuses-and-delays-death-benefits-amid-budget-shortfalls

 

Quote

 

In late November, Yakutia suspended payments to soldiers deployed to Russia's all-out war in Ukraine. Ivan Alekseev, Russia's finance chief, said this was the result of budget shortfalls.

Since October, the Samara region has reduced contract payments from 3.6 million roubles (€33,000) to 400,000 (€3,670) — the sharpest drop recorded since early 2025, according to Russian media.

Mari El cut contractor payments from 3 million roubles (€27,500) to 800,000 (€7,340). New recruits now receive half of that amount from the state plus another 400,000 roubles from the Defence Ministry. Tatarstan's military commission website shows similar reductions.............

Families of contract soldiers killed in Ukraine face difficulties receiving regional death benefits, Russian media report.

Khakassia stopped paying 1.1 million roubles (€10,090) from the regional budget to servicemen's families. The payment dropped by 1 million roubles to just 100,000 (€920).

Ksenia Buganova, who heads the regional branch of the People's Front, urged authorities to restore the 1.1 million payment.

The current 100,000 rouble payment arrives after several months, Buganova said. "Families without savings must bury their deceased relatives in debt. The Popular Front requests reducing the transfer period to 10 days from application," she said.

 

 

Not only are the sign on bonuses and death in service compensation being reduced, often they are not even getting paid out. Most regions are in deficit now.

 

This bonus scheme has cost the Russian state an enormous amount. Yet you suggest it will be easy for Putin to enact mass conscription and "scare" the West. He doesn't because he knows he can't. Regions like Dagestan, a traditional source of non-Slavic cannon fodder, have seen recruitment offices burnt down and protests erupt. About a million Russians, mostly men, have left Russia, out of fear of conscription. He has resorted to recruiting militarily suspect African and South Asian troops, likely had to give up much diplomatic power to get a few thousand North Korean troops, and transferred shed loads of tribute to Chechenya in return for some Tiktok troop. He might yearn to be a knew Peter the Great, but he knows he doesn't wield anywhere the near domestic power; don't forget the mutiny that nearly reached Moscow.

 

Conscripted soldiers in WW1 helped bring down the Tsar. Mothers of conscript Soviet soldiers sent to Afghanistan are credited with contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The first Chechen War was conducted with a conscript army. It was an utter disaster for the Russians. Russian losses were 2:1 against basically a rag tag army of guerillas. When Russia retook Grozny, the Chechens laid siege to it, and retook it. The fall of Grozny forced Moscow to sue for peace (Khasavyurt Accord). After that, Russian law was changed to prevent conscript soldiers from being used in combat.

 

He is sensitive to public opinion, hence attempts to sanitise the costs of the war, a war that he started.

 

Russia is suffering chronic labour shortages; its been attempting to plug the gaps by importing workers from South Africa and India, again, at enormous cost. He cannot afford to strip workers from functioning businesses. If he does that, he starts to affect the financial interests of his close supporters (Russia is a kleptocracy). The qualitiy of contract soldiers is falling. Early on, many of the contract soldiers were mean with recent military experience extending their service, or returning to service. With the increasing age of contractors, their fitness as well as relevant skills are diminishing.

 

Ukraine also has manning issues but it doesn't carry out mass conscription. Men under 25 are exempted. Like Britain in WW2, Ukraine has an exempted service scheme; what the British called protected occupations that men could not be taken away from for strategic reasons.

 

https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-offers-defense-industry-jobs-mobilization-exemptions-for-citizens-abroad-minister-says/

 

 

On 12/19/2025 at 12:06 AM, Roadsternut said:

Ukraine also has manning issues but it doesn't carry out mass conscription. Men under 25 are exempted.

Yep, all the young and strong men sent abroad, where they can get free easy welfares, stir the pot and spread their banderite, genocidal propaganda while in ukraine old men, cripples and disabled are kidnapped from the streets and conscripted by force.

F*%^k the logic and common sense, good job ! 

2 minutes ago, t0mt0m said:

Yep, all the young and strong men sent abroad, where they can get free easy welfares, stir the pot and spread their banderite, genocidal propaganda while in ukraine old men, cripples and disabled are kidnapped from the streets and conscripted by force.

F*%^k the logic and common sense, good job ! 

The genocidal side in this war is Russia.

NATO even without the US getting involved is more than a match for Russia and would quickly overrun the Russian forces. 

 

The problem then is that Russsia would be forced to use its nuclear weapons.

19 minutes ago, Bannoi said:

NATO even without the US getting involved is more than a match for Russia and would quickly overrun the Russian forces. 

 

The problem then is that Russia would be forced to use its nuclear weapons.

Not after Donald sends American ordinance to help daddy Vlad. He is looking to get Greenland by being a strong partner for Russia..