The Soviet Union is not the Russian federation.
If it was the Soviets, Ukraine would has been under complete Soviet control within a matter of days, an Zelensky would have been buried 6 feet under within hours of the invasion.
The fact that the Soviets took those hits is the reason why Russia's population suffers extreme fluctuations. The Russian Federation can't afford to take such hits, which was the reason behind Russia's modernization plan in the first place.
Okay, now I'm done.
Maybe had Poutine recognized that, Russia would not be in the sorry state it is today. But think -- and think hard -- about what you said. If the Soviet Union is not the Russian Federation, then why not? But if someone, whoever he/she maybe, does believe the Russian Federation is the the Soviet Union, then why? What evidence, hard or soft, does he/she have to believe that the collapse of the Soviet Union did not changed Russia? So it seems the first sentence of your comment is the foundation of this war, ain't it? That many people all over the world at all levels of society, and in this forum, believed in the opposite that the Russian Federation is
STILL the Soviet Union. Their ignorance is
flat earth level despite the evidence arrayed in front of them.
But the support for Russia
IN THIS FORUM is now clear, that it is a face saving measure for themselves and not of Russia, because they believed that the Russian Federation is
STILL the Soviet Union, and now, from the military perspective that the Russian military is floundering, they resort to ridiculous self face saving defense like how 'humane' is the Russian Army therefore the war lasted as along as it is. I hope that their countries' military leaderships are filled with people like them.
What you said have been in my mind but I was waiting for anyone with the intellectual courage to cut thru the bullshit, especially the bullshit from the Russia camp, and finally someone with a single sentence finally did it. Congratulations. Too bad I could not give you a trophy thru the interweb ether.
Damn...!!! The Soviet Union is
NOT the Russian Federation.