Ukraine Asserts Russian Invasion and Reinstitutes Draft

[pampango]

7. Ukraine spends 1.1% of GDP on its military. Russia - 5%. Income inequalty in Ukraine is like Sweden.

In Russia it is almost as bad as in the US.

While it is true that Russia has a draft, I do not think it will go over well in Ukraine. If a foreign country were attacking them that would be one thing, but a draft to fight in a civil war would only work if the populace supported the cause. Heck, there were draft riots in the North during our civil war.

Poland fought hard against hopeless odds in 1939 against Germany and the USSR. (The USSR said it was going into Poland to protect ethnic Russians stranded in a country with a disintegrating government subject to fascism.) I don't doubt that Ukrainians will fight as hard as the Poles did if some line is crossed. I don't know where that line is and I know that if Putin wants Ukraine (or some part of it), he will have it. No one will stop him militarily.

The "genuine popular uprising at the Maidan" shows there are things they care deeply about and are willing to face imposing odds to fight for. It remains to be seen what vision for Ukraine they care deeply enough about to face the imposing odds in the east.