Refrigerators as tank parts…The appalling use of “robbed grain” by the impoverished Russian military.
According to reports from the Ukrainian side, the Russian military is in considerable trouble. We examined the tanks we confiscated and found that they were equipped with semiconductors taken from refrigerators and dishwashers.”
On May 11, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Lemond made the startling report at a Senate hearing.
Russia relies on imports for many of its semiconductors. It seems that Russia is unable to procure materials from foreign countries due to sanctions imposed by various countries following the invasion of Ukraine, and is even having trouble securing military components. Itsuro Nakamura, a professor at Tsukuba Gakuin University and an expert on the situation in Russia, said, “The Russian military is using tanks and battle tanks.
The Russian military has state-of-the-art hardware, such as tanks and fighter jets. However, they have neglected the software side, such as semiconductors and networks. The performance of the equipment has not kept pace with the appearance of the modern weapons.
Communication has been particularly affected. The radios are outdated and useless. Russian soldiers use their own smartphones and cell phones as a means of communication. Since the smartphones have GPS functions, it is easy for the enemy to know where they are. The damage is extensive, with a series of pinpoint attacks from the Ukrainian military. Much of our conversations are being intercepted.”
The “loot” is “the goods.”
It is not only military parts that are in short supply. Food and medical supplies are not being delivered to the site, so they are being looted from Ukrainian residents and even resold. They are even reselling them. The U.S. media outlet “Radio Free Europe” reported the following comments from citizens of neighboring Belarus.
Russian soldiers come to the market with tanks full of ‘goods. All the goods are stolen from the Ukrainian people. They are trying to sell us ‘spoils of war. Toys, crockery, tires ……, you name it.
Behind the brutality of the Russian soldiers, there seems to be a severe decline in morale and morale. The aforementioned Professor Nakamura speaks of the situation.
There is widespread dishonesty in the military. High-ranking officials are embezzling defense funds and lining their own pockets. As a result, soldiers in the field do not receive sufficient remuneration or food, and there is a lack of control. The Russian military is like a mafia group with no discipline.
Furthermore, the unexpected counterattack by the Ukrainian army has forced them to retreat, and the Russian soldiers are in a state of panic. They are afraid that they will be killed by the Ukrainians, who have been taught that they are dangerous “neo-Nazis. They are in an extreme state of mind, and their actions are becoming unstoppable.
Even more startling news was reported on May 13 by the U.S. media outlet CNN. Russia is not only reselling the looted goods from Ukraine on the neighboring country’s market, but is also trying to use them as exports.
According to “CNN,” the Russian cargo ship “Matros Pozinich” is loaded with 30,000 tons of wheat and agricultural equipment taken from Ukraine. Its purpose is said to be exporting the cargo to Mediterranean countries, from the port city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula in late April, bound for Alexandria, Egypt.
However, because the Ukrainian government had informed them in advance that the cargo ship was carrying looted goods, the Egyptian authorities refused to allow it to enter the port. The destination was changed to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, but it is reported that the ship was also refused entry to the port in Beirut.
With economic sanctions and the Ukrainian military’s counterattack, the northern power is no longer in a terminal state. The reality of the “Great Russia” that President Vladimir Putin is trying to revive seems to be so lousy.
Photo.: Reuters/Afro