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[LetMyPeopleVote]

59. Do you ever tire of being WRONG?

The Ukranian government also provided the estimated Russian losses including the fact that 3267 Russian tanks have been lost. Again, the tweet is from the Ukranian government. These are significant losses and Russia is not going to be able to replace these tanks due to sanctions. Evidently Putin is running out of high-tech missiles and Russia's only tank factory is closed due to a lack of parts. Some Russian planes are using OTC GPS units instead of miliary units. Putin is being forced to use appliance parts for his "war" machine

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/05/11/russia-sanctions-effect-military/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=wp_main

U.S.-led sanctions are forcing Russia to use computer chips from dishwashers and refrigerators in some military equipment, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.

“We have reports from Ukrainians that when they find Russian military equipment on the ground, it’s filled with semiconductors that they took out of dishwashers and refrigerators,” Raimondo told a Senate hearing, noting that she recently met with Ukraine’s prime minister......

In her Senate remarks, Raimondo also pointed to recent reports that two Russian tank manufacturers have had to idle production because of a lack of components. The White House, too, has previously highlighted those reports, saying Uralvagonzavod and Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant have halted production.....

Previous research has shown Russia’s military has long relied on western electronics. Russian military drones shot down over Ukraine in recent years have been full of Western electronics and components, according to investigators from the London-based Conflict Armament Research group, which dissected the drones.

Russia has been relying on Iranian drones lately because of a lack of missiles. Part of the latest deliveries are air defense systems that should help some with these drones.

As for the buildup, you may want to either read the article cited in your OP.

..... The Pentagon has described Russian troops that have already been rushed to the battlefield to plug up defensive holes as “ill-equipped, ill-trained, [and] rushed,” according to a senior U.S. military official.

According to Ukrainian estimates, Russia has lost in less than one year more than 2.35 times the number of troops as the US lost in 10 years of the Vietnam war. Putin has to try to make some gains and there will be some sort of counter offensive in the spring. Due to sanctions, Putin's efforts will be hampered, and I doubt that the number of tanks and other equipment will be in good working condition both due to sanctions and the fact that Russia is not good at maintaining its equipment.

I am glad that the US, Germany, the UK and others are providing Ukraine with more equipment. Some of the Ukrainian estimates cited in your OP are designed to encourage further contributions from the US and others.

Again, if you really believe the estimates cited in the OP, I know some client who have Enron stock that they will be happy to sell you.