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Mostly Putin is getting older and is slowly losing his hold on power. Its usually why his opponents end up commuting suicide in a zipped up duffel bag with a gunshot to the back of their head. The Russians are also very keen on having a warm water port they can control to boost up their navy. The whole fleet is in bad shape and dire need of dry docking repairs. They have no way to do this at this point as their floating dry dock sank.

With sanctions on Russian export and imports their economy isn't in great shape too leading to some discontent within the power structure. If it gets bad enough I don't see Russia starting WW3 but just having Putin "die of old age" and replace him with another oligarch. Who that is will be a bit messy but we will see.

Also don't see China risking troops in Ukraine other than to train Russian conscripts on how to use China/N Korean supplied equipment. China and North Korea is starting to fire up their industries to ring out of Russia all the cash they can. That way when Russia fails at its task China will be in a stronger position to boss around Russia.  China's goal is to beef up its power in the area and risking their troops won't do that. But firing up their industries and raking in Russian cash will get their economy back and firing like it was without having to rely on exports to the US and EU as much.

Russia isn't in a good position right now with a majority of their cash coming from oil exports which China is buying at a discount. If China starts supping them weapons on top of that they get that cash back and further weaken Russia if they continue to lose.

Russia also hasn't tapped into it's more well trained troops from Moscow. Putin has been holding them as it could weaken his political position in the country. They've been grabbing people from the countryside and ex soviet territories that are allied with Russia. If they do start pulling in more conscripts from Moscow and other major cities then that should be something we should worry about.

We are kind of still in a Cold war type of situation Russia having their underclass or foreign conscripts fight Ukraine while the USA funds the Ukrainians without actively taking part. Both countries don't want to fight each other but will boast and threaten each other. If anything the Russians might just withdraw like the did in Afghanistan and say they accomplished their goal back home in the papers. But that is too way off to call at this point.

Replied to wrong thread

Yeah all about the grip strength getting pulled up. Can't wake board anymore without some serious training. tried a dock start and fell on my face hahaha.