Episode

A Tactical Disaster for Russia’s Military
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31:54
Published: Mon May 23 2022
Description

Three months since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the biggest surprises has been the inability of the Russian military to achieve some of its basic goals. One clear example: A failed attempt to cross the Donets river in eastern Ukraine earlier this month left hundreds of Russian soldiers dead. Its aftermath is raising doubts in Russia, even among the military’s most ardent supporters.Guest: Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: The disastrous Russian attempt to cross the Donets river resonated with some pro-Russian war bloggers who did not appear to hold back in their criticism of what they said was incompetent leadership.It appears that much of the military culture and learned behavior of the Soviet era has repeated itself in the war in Ukraine, including corruption in military spending and the longstanding practice of telling government leaders what they want to hear.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Chapters
Russian military attempts to set up temporary pontoon bridges under fire at a river crossing, reflecting pressure on the Russian military command to make progress, while also exposing their vulnerabilities which has been captured by military bloggers.
00:00 - 05:11 (05:11)
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Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Summary

Russian military attempts to set up temporary pontoon bridges under fire at a river crossing, reflecting pressure on the Russian military command to make progress, while also exposing their vulnerabilities which has been captured by military bloggers.

Episode
A Tactical Disaster for Russia’s Military
Podcast
The Daily
Despite Russian officials claiming that everything is going according to plan, a retired military officer has recently given a public critique of the war effort and the problems it's facing, leading to a growing trend of criticism and acknowledgement that things are not going well for Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
05:11 - 17:27 (12:15)
listen on Spotify
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Summary

Despite Russian officials claiming that everything is going according to plan, a retired military officer has recently given a public critique of the war effort and the problems it's facing, leading to a growing trend of criticism and acknowledgement that things are not going well for Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

Episode
A Tactical Disaster for Russia’s Military
Podcast
The Daily
Despite efforts to modernize and improve communication systems, artillery systems, and command structures, the modern portion of Russia's military remains relatively small in comparison to its overall size.
17:27 - 29:13 (11:45)
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Russian Military
Summary

Despite efforts to modernize and improve communication systems, artillery systems, and command structures, the modern portion of Russia's military remains relatively small in comparison to its overall size. Putin's aggressive foreign policy relies heavily on a powerful military, making this lack of modernization a serious issue for him.

Episode
A Tactical Disaster for Russia’s Military
Podcast
The Daily
The Biden administration has announced a plan to counter China's growing influence in Asia, five years after the US withdrew from a trade agreement in the region.
29:13 - 31:48 (02:35)
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US, China, Asia, trade deal, military
Summary

The Biden administration has announced a plan to counter China's growing influence in Asia, five years after the US withdrew from a trade agreement in the region. Meanwhile, Russia is proposing an amendment to expand its military recruitment pool by eliminating the age limit for service.

Episode
A Tactical Disaster for Russia’s Military
Podcast
The Daily