Comment on Watching TV shows or movies that display Russia as a military superpower is almost surreal nowadays.

qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

• DoctorTYVM@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  It is wild to see this. It’s amazing how quickly things change.

  Yeah, Russia was incredibly powerful in its heyday, both in global influence and military power. Think about how people are worried about climate change now, then double it. That was the threat of nuclear war that kept people awake at night for decades.

  After the time of the collapse we found out how empty a lot of their power was. How much of their achievements were less an unstoppable train and more of a rocket that couldn’t be refueled. They had power but they never figured out how to make it sustainable.

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  • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    How much of their achievements were less an unstoppable train and more of a rocket that couldn’t be refueled.

    Love the analogy. I’m aware they were and still are a threat from a nuclear perspective. I was just more curious about their ability to successfully mount a tactical battle strategy, logistics to supply said strategy, etc.

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• paper_clip@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Remember that the USSR included not just Russians but Ukrainians.

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  • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Yes, but Ukraine was not the military power it is today from my understanding.

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    • paper_clip@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      IIRC, the Soviets placed their primary artillery school and tank factories in Ukraine. As a percentage of the USSR's military base, the Ukrainians were well above average.

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    • intensely_human@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Ukraine’s military power was equal to that of the USSR when Ukraine was part of the USSR.

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• eestileib@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  In its heyday under Peter / Catherine the Great, depending on who you ask, Russia was a true world superpower. Richest royals, biggest population, massive food supply.

  In the 50s and 60s, if the nuclear deterrent hadn’t existed they could have taken over most of Europe through a combination of capture of democracy and invasion.

  Even after than, Russian hard-science education was extremely good (biology they got screwed by ideology).

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