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[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Russia is as wealthy as Minnesota. I think we should just send me to talk to Putin with a case of vodka.

[–]casparvoneverecBig tiddy respecter[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

By PPP, Russia has the largest economy in Europe on par with Germany.

Military power is the final arbiter of world politics and the Russian military is stronger than France, Germany, and Britain combined.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Germany 3846.4bn, Russia 1,483.5bn. Less than half. And they're trying to maintain the largest nuclear stockpile with less money than a US state... I think it's reasonable to assume they don't work.

[–]casparvoneverecBig tiddy respecter[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

recent RAND report caricatured Russia as a weakling rogue state.

how can a military budget the size of the United Kingdom’s be used to maintain over a million personnel while simultaneously procuring vast quantities of capable military equipment?

And your article is making the case why all appearances are wrong. I say they probably aren't.