A Comparison of Russian and Ukraine’s Troops 

Russia’s army consists of 280,000 personnel, and its combined armed forces are about 900,000 in total. According to the IISS, i.e., International Institute for Strategic Studies, based in London, Russia’s 2,840 battle tanks outnumbered Ukraine. Will Ukraine be able to thwart Russia’s invasion? Estimate it by reading this entire article. 

As Russia begins the large-scale invasion, military experts mount significant resistance and inflict heavy casualties. 

Ukraine’s army is better trained and more equipped than when Russia captured the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine without a fight and is widely seen as highly motivated to defend the country’s heartland. 

Details of Ukraine’s military 

Here are some details of Ukraine’s military. 

• HOW DO THE NUMBERS LOOK? 

Ukraine’s number of weapons and manpower is not as huge as Russia’s. Russia has heavily outnumbered Ukraine’s armed forces. 

Military experts’ estimates put at more than 100,000 the number of Russian troops near Russia’s border with Ukraine. Russia has moved troops to Belarus, north of Ukraine, for military drills. 

According to the IISS, i.e., International Institute for Strategic Studies, based in London, Russia’s 2,840 battle tanks outnumbered Ukraine. 

The prime minister of Ukraine said a decree recently signed by Zelenskiy to bring Ukraine’s armed forces to 361,000 personnel. 

Although Ukraine tripled its defense budget in real terms from 2010 to 2020, its total defense expenditure in 2020 amounted to only $4.3 billion, or one-tenth of Russia’s. 

Military analysts say Ukraine’s anti-aircraft and anti-missile defenses are weak, leaving it highly vulnerable to Russian strikes on its critical infrastructure. Russia would also use its superiority in electronic warfare to paralyze its adversary’s command and control and cut off communications with units in the field. 

• UKRAINE’S FORCES EXPERIENCE OF WAR 

Ukraine’s forces have gained experience in the Donbas region in the east of the country, where they have been fighting Russia-backed separatists since 2014 and are highly motivated. 

They also have short-range air defenses and anti-tank weaponry, including U.S.-supplied Javelin missiles, which would help to slow any Russian advance. 

Beyond the regular army, Ukraine has volunteer territorial defense units and around 900,000 reservists. Most adult males have basic military training, so they would face stubborn and protracted resistance if Russia tried to capture them. 

The military challenge will be higher than Russia’s previous wars since the Soviet Union’s collapse. 

THE WEST WILL HELP THE MILITARY OF UKRAINE 

Western countries have now stepped-up arms deliveries to Ukraine, but Kyiv needs more. The US is sending troops to Ukraine to fight. 

The US has provided more than $2.5 billion in military aid since 2014. These include coastal patrol boats, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Humvees, sniper rifles, reconnaissance drones, night vision, radar systems, and radio equipment. Its further supplies might include boats, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and small arms. 

Turkey has sold Bayraktar TB2 drones. It deployed it against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. 

In January, Britain supplied Ukraine with a reported 2,000 short-range anti-tank missiles and sent British specialists to deliver training. It has also provided Saxon armored vehicles. 

Estonia sends Javelin anti-armour missiles, and Latvia and Lithuania provide Stinger missiles. The Czech Republic will donate artillery ammunition. 

Germany is co-financing a $6-million field hospital and providing training. 

• COULD RUSSIA STAGE A FULL-SCALE INVASION? 

Many military analysts say this would unlikely involve a long and messy war with unavoidably heavy casualties. They expect Russia to opt for crushing airstrikes and limited land grabs(Russia’s invasion). 

One option for Russia is to push south, and pro-Russian forces already control west from East Ukraine to link up with the Black Sea and annex Crimea. There is also a possibility of the troops in Belarus crossing Ukraine’s northern border to attack. (Russia’s invasion)

Vladimir Putin faces qualms from his public about waging war on a fellow Slav nation. Russia has been sanctioned to move the troops into separatist-controlled regions of Ukraine and can meet much harsher ones for a full invasion. 

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Edited By- Mahi Gupta

Published By- Pawan Rajput