Who'll win the fight between Russia and Ukraine? Maybe China

2014/8/30 11:34:44

The true military, economic, and political power of Ukraine, Russia, and China vary wildly. But they are much more closely matched on a military technology basis, particularly in mid-market technologies, where having the most bleeding-edge capability isn't vital.

 

At least in terms of the business of war, the Sino-Soviet split has come full circle. Instead of a Russia and Ukraine united under Soviet rule against China, Russia and Ukraine are increasingly at war with each other, while China can pick and choose the subsequent bargains at leisure.

 


From Vice News, 30 August 2014

 

Long ago, back before the Sino-Soviet split, back when Leave it to Beaver ruled the airwaves, the Communists of China and the Communists of the Soviet Union were the best of friends. As besties, they shared their dreams, their aspirations, and lots of their weapons technology. But as China's peasant proletariat turned out to be even less advanced that then their Soviet brethren, pretty much all of the technology transfer went one way: from Moscow to Beijing.

 

Thus was born an amazing coincidence; for decades, absolutely every weapon produced by China happened to look very, very much like a cheap Soviet knock-off. This got so baked into the Chinese military, that the resemblance lasted long after the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China split apart.

 

Fast forward to the modern day. The once-mighty Soviet Union has fallen on hard times, and has fragmented into a motley collection of countries, enclaves, vassal states, and fiefdoms. As a result, the vast network of factories, technical expertise, and supply chains that once powered the Soviet military machine has disintegrated. Previously intertwined industries are now divorced, living in different countries. Entire supply chains vital to one national military are in countries completely out of the control of that military.

 

 

For full text, Link below

https://news.vice.com/article/wholl-wi ... a-and-ukraine-maybe-china

 

photo courtesy of article source

 

 

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