What happens is that in your eagerness to bring an erroneous narrative that Russia has only played pawns and has saved its best chips for later, you make the mistake of assuming that the militiamen and the Donbass and the Wagners are second-class troops, even mediocre.... When the reality is different
The level of personal equipment of a Wagner was much better than an average Russian soldier, and the mercenaries had experience in Syria, Africa at the very least... While the conscripts of the Russian army barely know how to lift a rifle, and with 2 months of training a lot they will learn
Wagner and the Donbass militiamen may not possess the cover systems and artillery capabilities of the Russian armed forces, but that is not the point, furthermore, the Russian army must offer support and cover to all combatants fighting on its side. ... Many of Wagner's disproportionate losses were due to late support and coverage by the Russian armed forces, criticism of which was made public...
Russia lost experienced mercenaries, experienced militiamen, who not only taught the Russian army to mobilize in the Donbass but also trained Russian units... So don't come to me to minimize the casualties of militants and Wagner, as if they are just minor chips. .. If instead of these elements, you put Russians from the army, the result would be the same or worse... Remember that the VDV in some units were massacred, as well as elite units of the Guard.... And don't forget the number of Russian army officers who have died in this conflict, officers with experience in all the wars that Russia has participated in in recent history
Russia, with the exception of Nuclear weapons, has used the best it has, both in systems and resources...
