I love the smell of fire bag in the morning.
I don’t know why this debate continues.
Pre war facts. Russia has 100% draft. Few are exempt. They draft all young men of military age. They are sent for 1 year of training and assignment. US Vietnam norms were 2 years. This 1 year schedule for all of drafted men was PRE WAR, and it remains in place.
After 1 year these trained troops are sent home as members of an Inactive Reserve. The US has a similar arrangement for its Reserves, some are weekend types and some are Individual Ready Reserve — the same as Russia’s configuration.
With the years having accumulated, Russia has 20-25 million men of fighting age who are in their Inactive Reserve forces. Of these call it 2 million saw service within the last few years.
This is all in addition to their active duty armed forces, which pre war numbered 1.1 million.
Putin activated 300,000 personnel last year. Of the 25 million available, he activated 300K. They did not need to be trained from zero, they were Reservists and needed only refresher.
Most of Russia’s forces are not in Ukraine. They have a big country to patrol. But should a need arise, certainly more than the 1.5% of the Ready Reserve could be called up.
Putin is up for re-election in March. It’s now a 6 year term and this will be his last. Dmitry Medvedev is his designated successor within United Russia, the party Putin leads. Read some Medvedev speeches and see if you really look forward to him taking the reins. Putin is a moderate. Any challenge he is getting politically is from the more hardliners.
Regardless, his re-election is likely. And so is another few % of his Ready Reserve.
Notice how this is speculation. They need this to justify another 24B rip off of US taxpayers.