Russia has not learned anything from the bitter experience gained in Afghanistan and it has committed the same mistakes in Ukraine, says Latvian National Armed Forces reserve officer, former manager of the association of Latvia-based veterans of Afghan war and other military conflicts Gunārs Rusiņš.
Rusiņš, who was once a Saeima deputy, says there are multiple similarities between the two wars. At first Soviet troops sent to Afghanistan were not told why they have to go there. Then, one night it was announced that it is a great honour for them to defend the lands conquered as a result of the April revolution in Afghanistan.
According to video footage released by the Ukrainian army, the Russian army’s deployment near the Ukrainian border was first explained as part of a military drill.
Both wars have one particular thing in common – poor organisation of supplies. Publicly available information indicates that Russian military rations are either expired or unavailable entirely.
Rusiņš says in Afghanistan he and his comrades did not have proper food either – the cans they were supplied there were expired.
Additionally, logistical problems are true for both wars. In Afghanistan logistics were difficult for various reasons, but here Russia has a neighbouring country – there is no need to cover large distances.
Rusiņš claims Russia is unable to supply its troops with food, ammunition or enough fuel to fill tanks of their vehicles.
In both wars there were acts of looting, but in Afghanistan Soviet troops engaged in looting mainly to survive, not fill their pockets, which is something that can be concluded from tapped phone conversations among Russians.
«Back then it was to fill your belly, but in Ukraine looting is at a whole new level – people are being killed,» stressed Rusiņš.
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In both wars there is also secrecy when it comes to information about losses. In the first couple of years of the Afghan campaign people «were not allowed to open their mouths» about the war or losses, the veteran says. Rusiņš adds Russian troops do not collect the bodies of their fallen comrades, burn them or bury in unmarked graves. Troops are also stripped of their phones.
«During the Soviet era this information was kept secret as much as possible. But when zinc caskets were sent to the Soviet Union, mass committees were formed and they played a major role in this,» added Rusiņš.
Although Russians do not collect their dead troops in Ukraine, according to him, in Afghanistan soldiers did not leave the dead behind.
«They did try to pull them out, but what we see in Ukraine is cynicism,» says the veteran.
Although in the first days of the attack Russians proudly declared attacking only military objects, now we can see civilian infrastructure coming under attack with no remorse. In this regard the two wars cannot be compared, because there was no such infrastructure in Afghanistan. However, «if shots were detected from a village, the measure was usually levelling it».
«Generally speaking, Russians have made the same tactical and logistical mistakes as they did in Afghanistan. Reconnaissance and analysis of Ukraine was non-existent as well. In Ukraine we can see a complete miscalculation on the part of Russians. All this is further emphasized by the embezzlement and theft of the money allocated to modernize the army. This, of course, has benefited Ukraine,» stressed Rusiņš.
Even before the Russian-supported attack on Ukraine in 2014 the Ukrainian army was corrupt. However, Rusiņš praises how the country has managed to change and raise their army in these eight years. «I was in Ukraine once as a supervisor during elections, and I had a chance to speak with Afghan veterans there. They told me how commanders became rich and army assets were stolen,» added Rusiņš.
As for the ongoing Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Rusiņš said he knew from the beginning there would be a war.
«I understood this immediately after the first movements along the border, when all of it was presented as a military drill. On top of that, of two people like Putin and Lukashenko happen to meet, it’s a full house,» stressed Rusiņš.
He also believes the war should be resolved in March. If need be, Ukrainians may have to resort to partisan war. In parallel to that any war brings physical and economic losses. Resources have had their resources frozen by sanctions.
«A war against people cannot be won. Ukrainians are fighters and they believe in their leader – their President Volodimir Zelensky. I am convinced the people will not give up and will fight to the end. Putin’s dream is recovering areas of Soviet influence, but Russians don’t understand that things have changed – it is not possible to enforce your policy to an independent country and brother nation,» added Rusiņš.
He also revealed that among Afghan war veterans living in Latvia none have voiced any support to Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, at least not openly. «There may be some people trying, but they are mostly ignored, because people who have gone through a war are generally reluctant to repeat it,» added Rusiņš.
Veteran: in Ukraine Russia has committed the same mistakes it did in Afghanistan
