Recently a number of Ukrainian internet community members have been seriously discouraged by tough speeches of Michael Kofman, so called military expert, who said: "No one in history has ever won a war with Russia on it's border. The plan to simply send weapons to Ukraine and see: maybe, there will be some result, doesn't work. There is no strategy.". This passage left me a little bit astonished. I don't know whether Mr Kofman is really a military expert, but what I'm certain about - his knowledge of Eastern European military history is worse than average high-school student one in the region. In fact, despite of being a real power, Russia has a long history of defeats. I would like just to describe briefly some of them, at least not earlier than 200 years ago. Believe me or not, there's more than enough to tell, so in this article I'm going to tell you about XX century only. Let's start from the most recent:
1996: Russians call it "First Chechen war". When in 1991 Chechnia with its leader Jokhar Dudayev proclaimed independence, Russia didn't recognize it. Starting from 1993 there were attempts to coup against Dudayev's government, even via Chechen civil war. Finally, Russia ended up those attempts with military invasion. After several weeks of battle, Russian troops even seized Chechen capital, Groznyi, but after enemy's counter-offensive there were no other option but to sign Khasavyurt
Accord. Result: at least 6000 dead or missed in action, about 18,000 wounded.
Accord. Result: at least 6000 dead or missed in action, about 18,000 wounded.
1989: Soviet army retreated from Afganistan. After almost ten years of war Soviet economy was near to collapse, almost 15,000 dead or MIA, about 54000 wounded.
1940: Starting in 1939 a war against little Finland, Stalin planned to annex it. For that purpose, the government for new Soviet Republic was created. But instead, after long three months of war Soviet Union had to be satisfied only by some pieces of land, paid by deaths of 127,000 and wounds of 189,000 (in contrast with rival's 25,000 and 43,000 respectively). Stalin's victory was really Pyrrhic one.
1905: The war with Japan, for domination on Far East and in China was considered in Saint-Petersburg as nearly a picnic, with all Russian superpower against the nation, which only recently became a modern state. Nevertheless, imperial troops were beaten on a land when Japanese naval victory near Tsushima is just exemplar, because Russian Naval fleet was annihilated - survived ships surrendered very shortly. Along with a number of defeats on land, this was a reason to end a war. Russia lost its lands and also its influence in China.
But the most interesting war of this criteria took its place partially on Ukrainian territory and with significant Ukrainian part in it:
1921: So, Kofman said that since Russia is unbeatable on its borders, there's no reason to resist and to provide a military aid of any sort to a nation which resists. Actually, this war was a clash between renewed and ambitious Poland (which recovered its independence and already won war in Galicia and revolt in Greater Poland region), eager to reestablish old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth borders and Soviet Russia which already virtually won in civil war and started reunion of their former lands. On Polish side also fought army of Ukrainian People Republic, Ukrainian soldiers are being honored in Poland as heroes of that campaign.
However, Poles hardly could get a chance without a massive military aid from France and UK. Fortunately, they as didn't have their own Kofman who could say them, that all resistance is pointless, they provided Poland with all kinds weapons and with military experts as well. As a result, Russians lost at least 60,000 killed and up to 160,000 captured. Plans to take over the Baltic states failed as well, Poland received significat of compensations among with the territories of Western Ukraine and Belorus.
As you can see, invincible on its borders Russia lives its life in fabulous world of pro-Russian experts, being just a dangerous myth.
