Yep, oarsmen with guns. It is handy to take on Muslims like that.You should then say your articles: A, An and The.
Russians tend to leave them out. So, you should have said “...as if Russia was campaigning in THE Southwest...”.
I am from Alabama, but also from THE South, and viewed by a Russian, from THE West.
It can be tricky to catch the nuance.
By the way, I’m told the Russians got their name, “Rus” from the Norse, via the word “Ruotsi”, meaning “Oarsmen”. But I bet you know that!
Yep, oarsmen with guns. It is handy to take on Muslims like that.