Putin beordrar styrkor att gå in i Ukraina - INVASION NU (2022-02-24)

/.../The Pentagon said that the latest tranche of weapons for Ukraine is valued at $350 million and includes 18 155 mm howitzers, 36,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition,18 tactical vehicles to tow 155 mm howitzers, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HMARS, as well as four tactical vehicles to recover equipment and spare parts.

The Pentagon will also provide two Harpoon coastal defense systems, thousands of secure radios, night vision and thermal devices as well as funding for training and maintenance support. That aid is collectively valued at $650 million.

/.../Connolly and colleagues pointed out that sanctions haven’t affected Russia’s ability to export oil and gas, and that it’s even found new or expanded markets in places such as China, India, and Turkey.

“So the Russian state doesn’t look as though it’s going to run out of funds soon,” Connolly said. “Indeed, Russian ministry of defense data for the first four months of the year show that military spending has doubled what it was intended to [be] at the end of last year. And if it remains at this level for the rest of the year—which is a big if—Russia could end up spending … more on weapons and more on the war and have a smaller economy.”

/.../Meanwhile, the self-sufficiency of certain sectors could insulate those from the effects of sanctions, such as nuclear weapons.

“I wouldn’t expect sanctions to affect Russia’s ability to build nuclear-powered submarines, ballistic missiles, etc.,” Connolly said.

He conceded that Russia could face more of a challenge replacing the estimated 3,000 long-range precision-guided munitions it had expended in Ukraine but said the industry is already “adjusting accordingly,” describing a missile factory adding 500 workers and around-the clock shifts.

/.../Taken altogether, the evidence suggests that Russia’s “defense industrial enterprises will continue to produce in the months to come,” he said, “… and we should not underestimate the ability of its industry to adapt to these new and changing circumstances.”