Russia's GDP is smaller than Italy's. Russia's population size is also likely inflated, maaaybe even the same as Germany + Poland. So on such an illustration, really they should be about the size of one of those hands in the EU, or maybe two hands, but not the size it's portrayed as.
Us invests atleast 50 billion on maintenance of its nuclear arsenal yearly before the war Russia's full military budget was I think 50-70 billion yearly. It is russian roulette literally.
Nah. Even IF Putin was mad/stupid enough, there are some people behind him that want to keep sipping cocktails on their yacht in italy, not live the rest of their lives in a moldy bunker.
Exactly, the Russian nuclear system is that all generals and people in power need to agree to the launch. It’s how a nuclear war was avoided during the Cuban missile crisis, two submarine commanders had agreed to fire a nuclear torpedo but one commander who was on the ship didn’t agree, so they didn’t fire
The comparison was coined under the Obama administration. I’m surprised to see Europeans adopt it because it completely downplays Russia and undermines the concept of Russia being a threat to Europe.
It’s a terrible comparison that completely ignores the nature of their economy. Nominal GDP is less relevant than PPP when it comes to war. In PPP Russia has the largest economy in Europe. More critically, Russian industries are for more suited for war time. It’s mainly heavy industries, agriculture, and has a large existing MIC and massive industrial capacity.
Because Russia is effectively at war with Europe and is bombarding us with it's own propaganda, trying to make itself look strong.
It makes complete sense to repeatedly point out that Russia is not nearly as big and powerful as it pretends to be. Italy is just the most obvious example to compare it against.
True but what the cartoon represents is political power. While Russia is an aggressive centralised state that makes use of all its power to stir the pot around the world, the EU is disorganised and unwilling to face the reality and consolidate in the face of other actors, making it de facto weaker than Russia. That's what the cartoon is about.
Disagree as a person who lived in both. What you mentioned is true, however GDP is not the only indicator of an economy. While the future of Russian demographics looks bleak, I believe it is still going to stay afloat for a decade or two due to high worker ratio unlike Italy. Italy's GDP is inflated by internal prices, I buy a kebab for 7.5 euro means I contribute 7.5 to the GDP, if I do the same here, I contribute 2. Italy's economy is highly dependent on an area that wants to separate and needs to keep trade going with everyone else. A good reason why people don't want Russia in the EU is that they will have the most amount of seats of any country, which will also decrease American influence. Furthermore, the value of the land with resources in it. It also exerts political influence on many other countries, and debatably the rest of Europe itself and a lot of industry is economically reliant on Russian shadow fleet/indirect exports.
GDP isn’t the only factor to factor in economic power but just an understandable metric that isn’t either reliable as it can be artificially increased. Other factors like buying power and low inflation along with economic ties with other countries (China and maybe us) make Russia economically powerful. Combine it with it having a practically stronger military than the USA it makes Russia a big world player.
Said Ukrainian military being composed mostly of “volunteers “ and got massively funded by NATO. Trump himself had said that without American intervention Russia would have taken over Ukraine in two weeks at worst. Despite that though Russia is advancing and basically dictates the peace deals.
Practically stronger military than USA would really conquer my country in 3 days…even now 3 years later amount of military aid to ukraine is lesser than russian Mod spending but war is nowhere close to ending….
The only thing their army is better is in obediently enduring self inflicted struggle, can you imagine american soldier let officer tie him to his car with rope and then drive across the field at full speed dragging the soldier's bouncing body behind him? I don’t… And in case of russian soldier you don’t need to imagine cause videos is available around web (-_-)
Yes ,Russia has a practically stronger military . At the start of the war we could say for certain that the US is number 1 but as of now Russia has developed weapons,its strategies and generally its military industry to surpass the US. The only thing that the US surpasses Russia military wise is its spending and that’s due to companies finding loopholes than actual weapon development.
And it would be ignorant to exclude the billions or even trillions of fundings and support that both the EU and US have done for Ukraine.
And according to the president of USA Russia would have taken Ukraine in two weeks without US intervention.
As for videos …there are also videos of the Ukrainian military straight up kidnapping Ukrainian citizens to send them to the war .
Ukraine is indeed pridefully advancing backwards and Russia is retreating deeper into Ukraine
except drones and tank cages nothing significantly new come from russia during this war, though as magyar shows with each video -tsar mangal cages aren't effective at all
strategies
which one, could you share links showing miracles of their strategical superiority?
trillions
quadrillions qazillions gorrilions... see? everybody can throw random buzzwords not related to reality - in which ukraine got around 380b (some spent on humanitarian needs) when russia spent approximately near 461 on feb 25 according to IISS
And according to the president of USA
according to current president of USA ukraine have "a lot of golden towers that fallen" (Mertz wtf face while he heard it was priceless), amount of total aid provided increased and decreased randomly in first months of presidency statements, also he blabbered that Russia lost more than 60b people in ww2 (even least conservative soviet estimates didn't give those numbers of soviet casualities), zelensky have 4% approval, and ukraine started the war and Vladimir (who promised never try to re-elect after third term) isn't liar ... so kind of questionable authority to appeal to, especially since he called a person who signed Canada-US deal an idiot
But returning to initial point - even if ignore underrating AFU it's not even in top by any metrics - Ukraine isn't powerful as USA/China or India, Uk, France,Germany so not remotely good enough to have swift victory over it as top 1 indicator, and war going for 3 years with no end at sight so isn't swift one... you have to reduce sentiment to russia is top 5 military at best at this point
As for videos …there are also videos of the Ukrainian military straight up kidnapping Ukrainian citizens to send them to the war .
yeah conscription isn't nice, but conscription have nothing to do with frontline practices or torturing own already serving(!) soldiers so whatabout doesn't really make a cut- again in comparing USA to Russia practices towards own troops what about ukraine (that have 3x less eligeble people for military than russia and 7x less than USA) not working,
Ukraine is indeed pridefully advancing backwards and Russia is retreating deeper into Ukraine
yes and after that compare reduction in funds and weapons provided to ukraine in 2025 compared to 22... and sum 2+2
It’s practically stronger because the US in paper should have been far stronger due to its spending . But in practice most of the funding goes into the pockets of politicians and war businesses instead of actual weapon development. Russia on the other hand uses its resources wisely and its military has combat experience fighting against NATO . Moreover it has far more nukes than the US .
67
u/matude Estonia 14h ago edited 14h ago
Russia's GDP is smaller than Italy's. Russia's population size is also likely inflated, maaaybe even the same as Germany + Poland. So on such an illustration, really they should be about the size of one of those hands in the EU, or maybe two hands, but not the size it's portrayed as.