Does anyone seriously believe that Russia is the world's second largest military power?

[Julie07]

[RavVid]

It does have nuclear weapons but it is questionable they will work it seems because they are expensive to maintain. Their new ICBM has only worked once out of four tests. One of them bombed it's own launch sight.

In terms of air power, they have been able to design a modern fighter but not been able to build many of them. When a modern AWACS has been operating - either an Aussie Wedgetail or Swedish Saab - they have lost aircraft. Including it's best the SU 57 felon. NATO countries are ordering a bunch of Wedgetail AWACS that are capable of guiding missiles launched by F16s onto the Russian target plane.

So vis a vis Europe they'll soon be out matched.

As it is Russia has to station it's air force 600 KM away from Ukraine and to use them it is 1200 KM trip which will use the hours they can fly.

So the Russian air force is no good.

As for it's navy, it had to cut and run from Ukraine which doesn't have one. As for it's only aircraft carrier, it repeatedly caught on fire and could only sail with ocean going tug to tow it when it's engines failed , caught on fire etc. Heard on the weekend it is being converted to more useful scrap steel. Russia does have deadly missile ships but have sensibly got them locked up in the Black Sea.

All they can do with them is to keep as far as poss away from Ukraine.

So I think it is a broad NO for the Russian Navy being the second best.

Their Army does have mass but is going back to using pack animals for logistics. They have lost most of their tanks but their meat attack tactics still work but it is questionable how long that can continue with land drones with machine guns and air drones dropping grenades. It seems a soldier is unlikely to survive if spotted by a drone.

To be generous I think we concede the Russia Army is up on mass but not quality.

We should note their arms industry. It was the second largest but it can't export much now and besides it's arms have been demonstrated not to work mostly. France has over taken Russia which has dropped to single digits. China just rips off it's IP and only buys to copy.

So NO, Russia cannot be taken seriously as the second largest military power.

[TrimmedTip]

Some people do still believe Russia is the world’s second-largest military power — mainly because of its sheer size, nuclear arsenal, and historical reputation. On paper, Russia has:

One of the largest stockpiles of tanks, aircraft, and artillery
The world’s largest nuclear arsenal
A long legacy as a Cold War-era superpower
But in practical terms, especially after its invasion of Ukraine, that image has taken a hit. The war revealed:

Poor logistics and coordination
Equipment failures and outdated tech
Low morale and training issues
Heavy losses and reliance on conscripts or private military groups
So while Russia might still rank second in raw numbers, many experts now say its actual combat effectiveness isn’t even close to that of the U. S. — and possibly behind countries like China or even France or the UK in modern capability and readiness.

Bottom line: It depends on whether you’re looking at quantity or quality. On paper? Maybe. In real-world performance? That’s a lot more debatable.

[FreyaRed]

Conventionally, no they aren't. Nuclear warhead number, they are top 1. However it's not that good as it might to sound. The weaker Russia becomes conventionally the lower their threshold to use nuclear weapons. Trump's administration gave Ukraine tools, especially access to military navigation hat makes their domestic drones much more effective for deep strike operations. So close as we are now, was the world last time while Cuba crisis.

[Agape93]

Some Russians still do. Somehow. It's been years and they can't conquer a nation weaker than them, smaller in population than them, with crumbling infrastructure, second hand weapons, in a place smaller than Texas.

[ThisDudeHere]

It is the second largest, yes. In Ukraine.

[MisterWack]

They were expected to easily win Ukraine by going straight to the Capital and didn’t.
Ukraine has been holding out strong against The Communist Regime, Slava Ukraini

And I would like to say, if Russia is indeed the 2nd largest military power, I don’t think America has anything to fear and should put resources back into the people that live in within its borders not pour billions to trillions on military might when it could be used more productively.
Don’t believe it for a second that they are the 2nd largest. Ukraine makes do with what little it got.

[Tamera952]

‘WAS’ ‘thought of’ the 2nd biggest military power. That was before running out of gas on road to Kiev, losing their navy to drone boats, losing all their tanks, and half their air force and still cannot the airspace around there, hundreds of thousands dead, delivering supplies on mopeds and donkeys!!
Their military export market immediately evaporated as soon as the world saw what a total joke Russia was.

[jshm2]

No, it always was the worlds largest military power.

The problem is that, just like sports teams, you don't know who is what until there is competition and loss.

The USA has been fighting every year since 1946. Whereas Russia not so much. The real numbers show that the USA has lost more than its won, whereas Russia has won more than its lost.

[Anonymous]

China is on paper. The top most powerful militaries in the world are

1. US Army

2. US Airforce

3. US Navy

4. US Marines

5. France

6. UK

7. Poland

8. Italy

9. Spain

10. Australia

11. Japan

12. China

13. Russia

[DryGermanGuy]

They might have been (on paper) before their disastrous 2022 invasion. After Prigozhin's Wagner Group uprising they are now barely the second best army in Russia!

[Tom567456]

We did for the first two weeks of the war with Ukraine. All Americans were saying that the Russian military was an overwhelming power that would crush Ukraine in two weeks or at least two months. But events quickly proved otherwise. They were shown for what they really are: a gigantic rabble commanded by lowlife thugs.

[Anonymous]

The only think that gives Russia power is the potential threat of thier nuclear arsenal. Russia has always largely been a defensive power. But still you have to respect thier ability to throw countless hordes of troops into a meat grinder in any conflict they're engaged.

[Cice369]

Worlds leading super power for the amount of Atomic weapons, and is the first Christian Orthodox nation that's building the worlds first post post modernist society. Was listening to a show where at the time of his life Edgar Cayce made a prophecy about how Russia would become the hope of the Christian world towards the end of days.

They need to be our greatest ally, not some pretend boogeyman.

[Anonymous]

1st largest...2nd largest...3rd largest... all that matters is that they have a powerful military that we don't want to screw around with. We need to stop threatening them and mind our own damn business. What they do on THEIR side of the world is THEIR business!!

[dustybiker2]

They want you to believe it. If they were they would have instantly crushed Ukraine.

[Lliam]

Only Americans think it's a dick measuring contest.

[BCRanger10]

If what I've heard about the casualty rates is true, I'd be asking the same question.

[andreasderjuengere]

They never have been. It's just that the U. S. dominated propaganda had made os think so with their 'western' propaganda.
As a native German

[andreasderjuengere]

I have seen Soviet military sites in a deteriorated state and outdated technology. We had been lied to by our own leaders.

[Cormac995]

Unfortunately there is a healthy supply of dumb ass tankies yes.

[molonski2]

China is No 1 .

Not sure who is 2nd , doesn't really matter.

[just_a_potato]

Me is American and me believe everything the government tell me 😎

[Anonymous]

According to Nostradamus, Chinese are going to rule the world in the future, so I'd say USA is the second largest military power, China is number one.

Russia is not as strong as Soviet Union was, not even close.

[KostasKouvalis]

Yeah, tons of people. They believe it's second to the US.

[Julie07]

It's ridiculous

[KostasKouvalis]

It is. It's first😂

[Julie07]

Only in your dreams 😂

[KostasKouvalis]

Actually, rereading the question you said "largest". I believe N. Korea and USA are largest

[Joshydavid25]

I surely don't, or they would've been able to take Ukraine no problem..

[Steve-the-lion]

Well they do have the most advanced nuclear weapons, so they don't need the biggest army. This is why NATO and the US don't want a war with Russia because it would be their death warrant.

[DrPepper12]

Russia is a mob run gas station run by a "peaked in HS" sadist

[Likes2drive]

No , it’s probably china, Russia is probably a lot lower now

[Dongie]

Sure, why not. Until another WW breaks out and countries are prooven it's only logical.

[Babygirl_S]

I hope we don’t blow up the Earth trying to find out who’s the biggest

[TwoToTooTutu2]

No, military power simply cannot be described by a series of numbers.

[exitseven]

I think China is number two

[Julie07]

Of course China is number 2

[WhiteThought]

It's China now, followed by India

[BigSwingingBalls]

Not any more they got exposed

[beefcakebradybatson]

So why hasn't Russian annexed Ukraine?

[cavedweller1973]

America is first china second

[Anonymous]

More like the world's greatest country

[Dargil]

China is.

[maj1nall]

No, China.

[vj0090]

You Russian?

[Julie07]

No 😂

[vj0090]

Haha OK..

[eagle1951]

No, China is.

[Julie07]

Exactly

[BLP11520]

No, China probably