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You specifically referred to a larger standing army and larger vehicle stockpiles, that inherently means manpower and equipment.
The key words in that being and equipment, as well as stockpiles, and the other economic factors implied within military-economic.
A rebuttal that focuses merely on the mobilized manpower at the start of the conflict is not a rebuttal of military-economic disparities. Particularly when the non-mobilization of reserves was a policy choice rather than a lack of availability.
Russia may have squandered many of its military-economic advantages at the start of the conflict, but that does not mean it did not have them.
That is perhaps a valid distinction, but I don’t see any indications that Russia’s military economic advantages have actually decreased over the course of the war. Their military manpower has increased, their armaments production capability has increased. I don’t see any evidence of major economic damage besides the occasional refinery potshot and a bunch of cope about the foreign exchange rate of the ruble.
Motivated prognosticators have been predicting that the Soviet stockpiles will run dry in two weeks for the past three years but it never actually seems to happen. Meanwhile Ukraine barely has any functional power or rail infrastructure left, is drafting double amputees, and has burned through the artillery and air defense supplies of the entire western world.
I’m sorry I’m so salty about this, but I spent a solid two years getting downvoted and /k/ope brigaded for the mere suggestion that it didn’t seem like Ukraine was winning a decisive victory. Now the NPC party line has effortlessly shifted to “frozen conflict frozen conflict stalemate stalemate” when that isn’t actually true either.
What does it matter that you don't see indicators when you regularly dismiss indicators you don't want to see?
In the last three posts alone, you have dismissed half of a category to fixate on a non-central non-counter, dismissed literal photographic evidence that you don't acknowledge could be processed to deal with your objection, and added a conditional to dismiss an indicator literally visible from orbit. Various elements of each of these can be supported by commercial satellite imagery from any country you choose.
Have I ever claimed that Ukraine was winning a decisive victory? Brigaded you on any /#/ board? Called on you to be downvoted?
No, and I don’t mean to imply that you ever did. I don’t know what your position was regarding Ukraine’s imminent victory (I only engage with current comments, I don’t scroll through anyone’s post history), but I do feel that was the mainstream position on the Motte two years ago, and on most of the rest of the internet.
Regarding my supposed confirmation bias, I believe it’s a necessity in a time where the information zone has been flooded with propaganda, and I believe my position will be vindicated by history.
Definitely not here. From the moment the blitzkrieg failed it the consensus was "the worst possible thing to have is meatgrinder, so this will turn into meatgrinder"
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