A PT sized fast attack boats can be shipped by rail and equipped with a variety of anti ship missiles that could allow them to run with the big boys, when supported with drone air cover. The Iranians used this strategy to great effect in confined waters and if it can carry and fire a couple of harpoons it can be effective against the biggest targets. The UK was working with the Ukrainian navy before the war to get it up and running.
Things haven't really started to bite there yet, the urban population will feel it the most and the most rural the least. However Vlad does have a very large federal security force who can be paid and given perks, they do have local cops who are paid by local authorities who might not get those goodies. They also have regional elected governments in the various republics and provinces. An iron curtain through the middle of the Slavic cultural world is not feasible these days and information is more available than ever, they're only hope is to drown it out by bullshit in the west and control it as much as possible inside Russia. Rural/urban, young/old, right/left political, rich/poor, as well as the usual racial, ethnic and religious social divisions are opening up inside Russia as the economic strain continues.
Drafting young men for an unpopular war often has violent results as they would rather fight in the streets than in Ukraine, or Vietnam. Drafting older guys with more common sense and experience for war in Ukraine would be a very serious mistake! They still aren't taking people from the big cities, just the remote rural regions, one day they might resent their kids being killed, while those from Moscow are not.
from the looks of it, they are trying to get anyone to go young, old, and even older.....Moscow is starting to feel the pinch cause of the lack of infantry on the ground.....
Drafting a lot of 30 or 40 year old's ain't the same as drafting 18 year old's. If an officer started shooting his troops, he would not last long at all among that age group! Most likely anybody with common sense would make sure he died immediately after, without warning. I'd make it a point of fragging the fucker the first chance I got, out of self preservation, if nothing else.
they can rule them as long as they stay out of range of shore based missile batteries. and as long as the rest of the wolrd puts up with them interfering in the delivery of grain...hunger makes some choices a lot more...palatable.
that story says it will be easier to "recruit" older people with the necessary skills...so there are just thousands of people with those skills wanting to be "recruited"? that are willing to leave their comfortable lives and go back into combat situations?Struggling in Ukraine, Russia paves way to sign up over-40s for army
In a sign of Russia's urgent need to bolster its war effort in Ukraine, parliament said on Friday it would consider a bill to allow Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to sign up for the military.
The website of the State Duma, parliament's lower house, said the move would enable the military to utilise the skills of older professionals.
"For the use of high-precision weapons, the operation of weapons and military equipment, highly professional specialists are needed. Experience shows that they become such by the age of 40–45," it said.
Struggling in Ukraine, Russia paves way to sign up over-40s for army
In a sign of Russia's urgent need to bolster its war effort in Ukraine, parliament said on Friday it would consider a bill to allow Russians over 40 and foreigners over 30 to sign up for the military.www.reuters.com
Most have families, more sense, know what they are getting into and most importantly why, Ukrainian psychological warfare and offers of surrender will work well on them and most will want a way out alive. If required families can move to the west for awhile or they can send money home as refugees working in Europe until Putin croaks.
If it were easy they would have done it already. The Iranians speed boats need to concentrate on a sea lane that is about 25 miles wide. Hardly apples to apples.
They are making it so they can get 40+ into the fight.
Once the ships are out of missile range they would have to be escorted by warships. There is talk about Nato ships doing the escorting.
There will be some patriotic types but generally they might be looking for guys that have higher talents than just firing at the other side. Espionage could be one. Or they really do not care as long as it is a warm body that they can send to the front to drive a truck.
Nato would also have to arm all the sides. Might be better use of the firepower hitting the Russians in Ukraine. Putin may see this as an escalation that is a threat to Mother Russia and he has no choice but to nuke em. Be careful what you wish for, the last two world wars started with less.
How can you nullify Putin's nuclear hammer? Lend Ukraine a red button or two.
How this war goes is up to the Ukrainians, Uncle Sam and a bunch of other intelligence agencies. As long as nobody pulls the pin on them they will go the distance. Their territorial aims align with American interests in destroying Vlad's army and drain his treasury, that is their stated war aim. Poland for instance might be interested in a change of government in Belarus along with Ukraine and the only way Georgia could defend it's self is with Ukrainian and American help. Causing trouble in other places is an old strategy and removes forces from Ukraine.