Why are the Russians using conscripts?

[DeppityDawg]

I wonder what Deppity thinks of the phrase "and the Americans are providing close air support"

Stupidity and incompetence are not the exclusive preserve of the conscript army.

Personally the only time I got shot at in my job, an American 'visitor' to our tank ranges was pulling the trigger. Fortunately it was only the machine gun.....

Friendly fire is more common in conflict that you might think. I don't think the US are any better or any worse than anyone else in terms of occurrence. Its just that they have considerably more firepower than anyone else when it all does go Pete Tong. 

[Borchester]

I wonder what Deppity thinks of the phrase "and the Americans are providing close air support"

Stupidity and incompetence are not the exclusive preserve of the conscript army.

Personally the only time I got shot at in my job, an American 'visitor' to our tank ranges was pulling the trigger. Fortunately it was only the machine gun.....

That is usually the case.

I remember being on the hook in Tsingtao harbour and we got caught in a cross fire between the Red Guards and the Chinese regular army. At least, that was what I thought was happening. It was pitch dark and all we could see were bullets bouncing off the for'ard capstan. Which survived. Those old steam winches were primitive, but tough.

Finally one of the Chinese guards started firing back. When it was all over we asked who he was shooting at and he said both sides. And when we asked why he was shooting at his own side he said F@@@ them, they are shooting at me.  He was a bolshie sod and probably got a bollocking afterwards, but I like to think that the Chinese top brass recognised a good man in a tight spot and made him a general

[johnofgwent]

Well apparently one of their own high tankers was run over by a tank by his own men.

I wonder what Deppity thinks of the phrase "and the Americans are providing close air support"

Stupidity and incompetence are not the exclusive preserve of the conscript army. 

Personally the only time I got shot at in my job, an American 'visitor' to our tank ranges was pulling the trigger. Fortunately it was only the machine gun.....

[johnofgwent]

I would have thought that the Russians would have wanted to get stuck in and fight a short, sharp war. And for that they want highly trained regulars. Instead, according to the BBC at least, they are using conscripts with an enlistment period of only 12 months and probably a strong desire to be somewhere else

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60867202

Well, if any of the bullshit coming from either side is to be considered worthy of belief it seems part of the issue might be that conscripts from areas remote from the border being fought over are less likely to have relatives living where they are currently conducting scorched earth extermination.

I have to hand it to the Ukranian president though. I can't help feeling if he'd been our prime minister instead of John Major Argentina would be a British colony by now.....

[cromwell]

Well apparently one of their own high rankers was run over by a tank by his own men.

And it's all over by May the 9th apparently so Vlad can stand on a balcony and play I spy.......a tank.

[Borchester]

I would have thought that the Russians would have wanted to get stuck in and fight a short, sharp war. And for that they want highly trained regulars. Instead, according to the BBC at least, they are using conscripts with an enlistment period of only 12 months and probably a strong desire to be somewhere else

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60867202