"Collaborators were told ‘Russia is here for ever’" Topic

Supporters in shock as Kremlin reneges on vow that helped project power into captured towns and villages

The Guardian: link

Well, they were hardly going to tell them "we will be here until we pullout"

Nobody ever says that.

Regardless, of what the Russian leadership said/says … the reality says otherwise … link

Does the Russian leadership ever tell the real true ? Very, very unlikely, IMO …

That's just phenomenally dumb. Of *course* they said that. Collaborators are very valuable, certain types of people will say anything to recruit collaborators. After all, there is no investment, no risk. Once they collaborate it's hard for them to go back, there yours unless you lose the territory. You don't have to keep buying their loyalty – once you get it, you have it. And if you lose the territory the collaborator has no value, they are not transportable.

So why was there every any question? The Russian authorities are not the kind of people who keep promises, and they are the kind of people that will say anything to get you to do what they want.

This should be an article in The Onion or the Babylon Bee. It's very funny that someone would actually put this up as a news article.

she and her family fled what they expected would be swift punishment

She and her family have my sympathy, but it's not like they didn't know what to expect. All through WW1 and WW2 as the eastern front flowed back and forth people would have her experience, over and over. Reprisals and vengeance and recruiting the next wave of collaborators for whoever just blasted their way into town is well imprinted on the population. I am very sorry it's happening, but it's just one more cycle. I doubt there is much genuine surprise.

I look like a lot of Russians are here to stay, in the same way lots of Americans are here to stay at Normandy.

So why was there every any question?

As the article explains, part of the reason the collaborators feel disappointed is that the Russians didn't try to fight, they are perceived as having just run away.

After the 2014 debacle they probably thought it was a certainty, the Ukraine got its act together, with Western support,

Tally Ho!

Yes, in 2015 the US was sending troops and some equipment to the Ukraine. To train their soldiers in the event of another Putin ordered attack. I think the UK and some other NATO did the same.

Looks like it worked. The US troops only left the Ukraine a couple of weeks before the Russians crossed the border. Or so was reported. [US CIA & Spec Ops in small number may be still floating around ?]

That training etc., plus the Russian gross military incompetence, etc.

The troops and equipment sent to Ukraine did help. Ukraine also reformed its military by getting rid of corruption, weeding out traitors who had helped Russia in 2014, and basing promotions within the military on ability.

An account from one of the volunteers who helped train Ukrainians
link

The troops and equipment sent to Ukraine did help.

Very much so … competent, well trained, motivated troops with good leadership and the proper weapons makes all the difference.

Just the opposite as we saw in Iraq, A'stan, and even Vietnam somewhat. The weapons are only as good as the troops using them and their quality of leadership. Again, just as we saw the opposite with the Russian military. That made a big difference in the Ukraine's current victories as well.