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Comment by paxys | Hacker News Reader

> but it's hard to comprehend why Russia was unable to do anything at all.

Is it really? Russia literally has to rely on North Korean soldiers to continue their own "special operation" a few miles away. Their power projection ability is now zero.

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There is still no proof for North Korean soldiers at the front and pro-russian bloggers make fun of it in ironic memes.

I now think it was either only a few North Korean officers or it was just Ukrainian propaganda to justify more western support.

I recall seeing western nations corroborate the evidence. Trains out of North Korea into Russia follow one path and are easy to monitor.

I don't doubt it is true, but "western nations corroborate the evidence" also happened in "Saddam has nukes" and lots of other situations in history.

I was too young at the time, but the perspective here in Tennessee at least is that the wmd allegations were seen as an American and british boondoggle. Were France, Germany, Spain all aboard that train? I thought "the west" had a half hearted push back against the idiocy. Would love to be informed before my Google searches if anyone has their 2¢.

Yes, and iirc it was mostly a single source (spy) lying to the US & Brits

The intelligence assessment agencies largely saw through the bullshit and said as much, but it was politically expedient for Bush, Blair and Howard to go with the lie.

Well, this time (the 2022 invasion) the US and British got it correct while the French and Germans got caught with their pants around their knees.

They haven't yet forced conscription. There's plenty of manpower available to Russia through this very unpopular measure. If pressed they'll do it, the question will be whether Putin survives the young people of Moscow and St Petersburg joining the meat waves.

They critically lack the manpower in the economy, and have to replace all the imports that closed due to sanction. And inflation is already running rampant.

They maybe can do the good old Goebbels "total war" and stop producing consumer goods, but not sure if that's something they want to do.

They haven't because this might actually finally wake up at least part of the people and cause problems for Dear leader. Let's hope Trump doesn't fold immediately and give the situation more time to develop.

Time equals worse lack of manpower for Ukraine. Time is on Russia's side as it is.

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