this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2025
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Europe

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Only if you convert rubles by "purchase power parity" as opposed to the market rate, which seems like a weird way to manipulate data to fit some narrative.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 16 hours ago

Not that weird if most of that spending is domestic.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 19 hours ago

PPP is a useful measure to compare wealth although it’s usually based on goods like bread and not tanks. There’s a grain of truth here as the difference in wages alone makes for a huge factor in the overall cost. Having access to many raw materials is a big boon for Russia too.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 22 hours ago (3 children)

The problem is that a) it's not true and b) even if it was, there is not anything to buy for that money.

Russia is running out of hardware, what are they going to do, throw rubles at the Ukrainian defenses?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

I was hearing about how Russia was out of ammo and fighting with sticks and rocks two and a half years ago.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

I was hearing the same about Ukraine but I just keep seeing videos of dead Russians weird.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Well then you were badly informed.

2.5 years ago all the propaganda was : "sanctions doesn't work!!" (Please remove them)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I didn't say I believed it, just that "Russia is about to run out of ammo!" Has been the cope for a long time now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I have sincerely not heard that they'd run out like 2 years ago. We all knew they had enormous stockpiles of soviet gear, how can you not know that? Or if you did, discarded the crazy talk?

Today is another matter, they are running out, and relies on North Korea for shells and more.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Well I absolutely heard it, as early as mid 2022.

Or if you did, discarded the crazy talk? Today is another matter, they are running out,

Yes, I've heard the cycle of "well obviously it's wasn't true then, but this time they really are running out of ammo" quite a few times over the years.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 hours ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

I mean, this is from May 2022, from a guy known to be fairly pro-Ukraine:

Q: Initially, it was said that the Russians were still keeping their really good weapons. A: It looks like they don't have much left to throw in there apart from missiles. The Russian army is facing a catastrophic defeat. It has already lost its nimbus.

[Translation via DeepL]

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago

Well nobody not living under a rock knew that wasn't correct. The error 3 years ago was quite the opposite, we thought the russkies had a great army!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I look forward to hearing it again next year

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 hours ago

You can hear it right away:

Lol ok

[–] [email protected] 11 points 17 hours ago

Russia not only has a massive sabotage-and-disinfo campaign, they also have semi-allies running the US now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 21 hours ago

They have NK meat, but that's running out too.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 22 hours ago

You’d think the war would be going well for them then

[–] [email protected] 9 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

EU defense needs to get upped, functional and efficient asap.

That said, Im not sure which data was used here by FT, but reports I've read include Russia currently adding repairing ancient (WWII ) military equipment to a net total production value. I.e. the real added value is considered much lower.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 23 hours ago

It's so frustrating how long Europe has been ignoring its need to be self sufficient in military defence. Even with a literal war going on next door and russia actively turning the political systems upside down.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 23 hours ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 11 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

Weird how people have been so brainwashed into using that euphemism that they even apply it to a nation hostile to them, actively waging a war.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

defense or defence

Same same, first one is US, the other is UK spelling.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I'm German, you guys figure that out amongst yourselves.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I'm Dutch.. so we need to balance it out.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Swede in France here, dΓ©fense please.

Or fΓΆrsvaret of course if you want to go down that road.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

Puolustuspa, perkele.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

defence or military spending?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago

And it's all burning in a pile in Ukraine along with Russia's economy

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And Luxemburg sanitary infrastructure exceeds that of russia, I'm sure.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Russians have way more outdoor plumbing I bet!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 hours ago

I thought about outdoor toilets ...