# Russia invades Ukraine {2022-02-24} (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion, breaking-news\ **Created:** [October 29, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972 "2022-10-29T17:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 316
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6412 "2023-12-02T06:23:23Z")
Talk about “Heap the walls up with our EnglishRussian dead” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6413 "2023-12-02T15:22:13Z")
The Good Guys remember [Maxim 20](https://schlockmercenary.fandom.com/wiki/The_Seventy_Maxims_of_Maximally_Effective_Mercenaries). [https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/01/europe/ukrainian-soldier-survival-bakhmut-intl-hnk/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/01/europe/ukrainian-soldier-survival-bakhmut-intl-hnk/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6414 "2023-12-02T22:02:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > How many Russian casualties have there been? 300,000? So the new increase plus the last one should cover those losses. Nope. This is about increasing the fully-staffed strength, not about replacements for losses. They need to add 170K to the total, plus replace all the losses. Some of which have already been replaced. From the prewar situation, they’ve tried to boost the headcount total by ~310K (140K before and now 170K more). And along the way they’ve lost (WAG) 300K to combat. That means 610K new recruits needed since the war began. Plus of course the ordinary attrition of a large organization as folks retire, serve out their terms, die or become crippled by car crashes, ordinary peacetime accidents, and natural causes, etc. Plus the occasional defenestration, mine stepping-upon, or exploding bizjet, but those are a drop in the statistical bucket of blood 😁 ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6415 "2023-12-02T22:08:02Z")
Training? Equipping? Surely, you jest! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6416 "2023-12-02T22:23:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Putin’s decree was released by the Kremlin on Friday and took force immediately. It brings the overall number of Russian military personnel to about 2.2 million, including 1.32 million troops. To put that in context, the entire population of Russia is 143 million. Which means that 1 person in 65 is currently serving in the military. And that proportion gets a lot higher, when you look at the number of men, or the number of men of the appropriate age range. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6417 "2023-12-02T22:23:56Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Nope. This is about increasing the fully-staffed strength, not about replacements for losses. I dunno, when they tap into prisons for labor for war it sounds like there’s a shortage of bodies. They may claim they’re increasing the size of their military but names on cemetery stones don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6418 "2023-12-02T22:38:20Z")
Are they even allowing people to retire or serve out a term and just go home? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6419 "2023-12-03T02:23:36Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I dunno, when they tap into prisons for labor for war it sounds like there’s a shortage of bodies. They may claim they’re increasing the size of their military but names on cemetery stones don’t count. You’re certainly right that there’s likely to be a shortfall of actual headcount vs authorized headcount. I was just making clear that the 170K is not meant as replacements for losses, but is meant as growth. Even if it’s mostly illusory growth. As corrupt as the Russian Army and MoD in general seem to be, I’d not be surprised to find a nontrivial fraction of their pre-war troops were imaginary with commanders pocketing the pay of the ghost soldiers on the books. It’s a pretty common scam worldwide. > [@hajario](#): > > Are they even allowing people to retire or serve out a term and just go home? Damned good question. I sure don’t know. My deeper point was simply that there’s more sources of attrition than just combat. You’re probably correct that they have the equivalent of US DoD’s stop-loss program in effect and damned near nobody is mustered out alive. There does come a point where a decrepit 65yo infantry sergeant is just useless. Russian men don’t have great life expectancies even in peacetime in non-military occupations. Over there a 65yo (same as me) is pretty well run out. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6420 "2023-12-03T16:46:39Z")
Allegations that Russian soldiers killed two Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered: > **[Ukraine war: Russia accused of killing unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67607857)** > > Kyiv investigates a video said to show two surrendering Ukrainian soldiers being shot by Russians. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6421 "2023-12-04T14:14:41Z")
This article may not fall directly under “news about the war”; if requested, I will ask that it be moved/deleted. The former president of Ukraine has been barred from leaving the country under allegations that he planned to meet with Hungary’s President Orban. Also, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is having troubles again. > **[Ex-president barred from leaving Ukraine amid alleged plan to meet with...](https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/president-barred-leaving-ukraine-amid-alleged-plan-meet-105331903)** > > Ukraine's service says former President Petro Poroshenko has been denied permission to leave the country because he was planning to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6422 "2023-12-04T15:11:25Z")
That’s hard to read while I sit in my warm home sipping coffee. No one controls where they’re born. Link [Ukraine war: Soldier tells BBC of front-line 'hell'](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67565508) > [@](#): > > _ **"The entire river crossing is under constant fire. I’ve seen boats with my comrades on board just disappear into the water after being hit, lost forever to the Dnipro river.** _ > > _ **"We must carry everything with us - generators, fuel and food. When you’re setting up a bridgehead you need a lot of everything, but supplies weren’t planned for this area.** _ > > _ **"We thought after we made it there the enemy would flee and then we could calmly transport everything we needed, but it didn’t turn out that way.** _ > > _**“When we arrived on the [eastern] bank, the enemy were waiting. Russians we managed to capture said their forces were tipped off about our landing so when we got there, they knew exactly where to find us. They threw everything at us - artillery, mortars and flame thrower systems. I thought I’d never get out.”**_ ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6423 "2023-12-07T15:03:17Z")
Many Nepalese are apparently being smuggled or traveling to Russia to join the army. I don’t know how much foreign fighters can ease the burden of staffing the army with Russians. Ukraine’s also allegedly using Nepalese mercenaries as well. > **[Nepal: Twelve arrested for smuggling Nepalis into Russian army](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67635359)** > > Kathmandu has asked Moscow to return all Nepali mercenaries after six of them were killed. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6424 "2023-12-07T15:55:05Z")
Um, why did they have to be smuggled in and what idiot would pay $9,000 for the privilege?. Are people in Nepal not allowed to leave their country? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6425 "2023-12-07T18:29:22Z")
Yup. This is Putin’s best hope. [https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/europe/ukraine-western-unity-faltering-putin-intl-cmd/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/europe/ukraine-western-unity-faltering-putin-intl-cmd/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6426 "2023-12-07T18:42:18Z")
I think Putin’s going to throw a lot of resources behind a Trump campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6427 "2023-12-07T18:46:41Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Are people in Nepal not allowed to leave their country? According to the article, they can’t sign up for another nation’s army (except Britain’s). ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6428 "2023-12-07T19:44:00Z")
As a follow-up along related lines, they also seem to be sweeping in migrants who are trying to reach the West. Trying to pump up their numbers by any means necessary. > **[Russia luring migrants from Finnish border for war in Ukraine](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67647379)** > > The BBC has seen evidence of foreigners without valid visas being sent to a military camp near Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6429 "2023-12-08T03:02:35Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yup. This is Putin’s best hope. He’s down to prisoners and people smuggled from Nepal. Pretty soon Putin is going to be fielding Girl Scouts with their Mother’s old uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6430 "2023-12-08T18:16:15Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Pretty soon Putin is going to be fielding Girl Scouts with their Mother’s old uniforms. And a gang of Ukrainian geeks will hack their cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972/6431 "2023-12-11T19:27:38Z")
> **[‘Forged documents’: how Ukrainian grain may be enriching Putin’s circle](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/11/forged-documents-how-ukrainian-grain-may-be-enriching-putins-circle?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other)** > > Bumper grain crop celebrated in Russia can be explained by ‘looting’ of occupied territory, say prosecutors [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972.md?page=315) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-2/973972.md?page=317)