DIVISIONS of troops, tank battalions, aircraft squadrons and fleets of warships – war is a numbers game.
As tyrannical Putin’s war rages in Ukraine, here The Sun takes a closer look at how Russia and NATO compare.
Vlad has at his disposal one of the most formidable military forces in the world, according to numbers.
Russia equals the US in troops and has more than any other NATO member, with some 1.3 million soldiers and millions more in reserve.
But he has been branded a “paper tiger” by donald trump.
And if you click the arrow In the graphic below you will see how the united alliance is more than a match for Vlad’s war machine.
boots On the ground they remain the backbone of any fighting force, but there is always the nuclear elephant in the room.
And what does Putin have over any global policy? force It is the largest nuclear power plant in the world arsenal.
Here’s how nuclear stockpiles have risen and fallen since the height of the Cold War, with Vlad now at the top of the pile.
But since no one has dared to use a nuclear weapon since the end of Second World War – now they are a sinister shadow.
And with the promise of mutually assured destruction, nuclear weapons should start flying, conventional war still swallows
NATO combined has more than 3 million troops, but the bulk is still provided by the US. USA.
You can see here how the United States dwarfs all other NATOs with its staggering spending.
America’s massive arsenal is an invaluable part of the alliance: it provides most of the alliance’s hardware.
AND click on the arrows to see how this breaks down between Russian, NATO and US tanks, planes and warships.
This is one of the biggest frustrations for the president of the United States. donald trumpwhich wants other NATO members to do their part.
Here you can move the slider to see how Europe has deepened its defense spending in the face of a war-hungry Putin.
It is estimated that total European defense spending has increased by almost $175 billion over the last ten years.
And the Russian invasion of Ukraine has only increased the continent’s urgency to rearm.
Total spending across the continent now stands at nearly $400 billion.
This is what some European leaders have said about increasing their defense spending in the face of the threat from Russia.
And one of the nations leading the charge is Poland – with them sharing a border with Ukraine and Vlad’s puppet state, Belarus.
With Russian assassin drones are already falling in the east of the country, they are in the first line against Putin.
Poland has been described as the United States’ “model ally,” increasing its defense spending to nearly 4.2 percent from 2.2 percent in 2014.
And they are not done yet and stand as the most formidable fighting force in Europe.
In terms of defense spending relative to GDP, they are closely followed by their Baltic countries. neighborsEstonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
As you can see in ours. interactive graphics down – even combined, they are still eclipsed by Russia in Europe’s front line.
Behind them in spending is the United Kingdom – with spending of 2.2% and the promise to raise it to 2.5% by 2027 and 5% by 2035.
Britain has been one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine against Russia, delivering advanced weapons and $10 billion in military aid.
And this support from the UK – along with other NATO nations and the United States – has allowed Ukraine to punch far above its weight.
Ukrainian troops – armed with Western weapons – have fought bravely since Vlad’s invasion in February 2022.
And they have caused a staggering number of Putin’s troops to be killed or wounded.
With more than 110,000 soldiers thrown into the meat grinder, along with more than 11,000 tanks and hundreds of planes, Putin’s campaign has been bloody.
And the Russians remain trapped in a virtually stagnant front line, occupying only 19 percent of Ukraine, including Crimea, which Vlad took in 2014.
But despite this, Russia continues to fight and the death of tens of thousands of young people in the mud does not deter them.
Putin has framed the Ukraine was as the new “Great Patriotic War”: the name the Russians gave to the Second World War and the fight against it. Nazis.
He helped galvanize his people’s support for his war, despite staggering losses.
And it is this attitude that could also motivate them in any fight against NATO.
Russia history It is full of wars of great attrition, such as those against Hitler and Napoleon, in which forces have disintegrated. MoscowIts astonishing willingness to accept bloodshed, its large size, and its brutal winters.
Click on the bubbles Below you can see Russia’s staggering war death toll over the past 200 years.
So when Trump called Russia a “paper tiger,” was he right?
Former US general Ben Hodges told The Sun: “I wouldn’t say Russia is a ‘paper tiger’, but it has many shortcomings and vulnerabilities.”
He explained that Russia’s air force, navy and ground forces have exposed themselves during the Ukraine war, failing in their objections to taking control of land, air and sea.
And he says that while Russia’s “traditional strength is its vastness,” this is now being used against it.
Ukraine is demonstrating how holes in its weak defenses can be exploited to launch precise attacks against key infrastructure such as oil depots and train tracks, he explained.
General Hodges said: “Their mass is their advantage…and they have plenty of it.
“But mass can be defeated by precision.”
Keir Giles, an expert on the Russian military and a senior member of Chatham House, warned against removing Putin.
He said that while the Kremlin has suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, many of its forces, such as the air force and nuclear units, have remained “relatively unscathed.”
Giles told The Sun: “That means Russia still has many means of causing damage at extremely long ranges, something it has been practicing for the last 20 years.”
Europe remains unprepared for a large-scale missile attack, he warned.
And he said one of Putin’s great strengths remains his hybrid warfare, using cyber attacks and sabotage, which are still very common.
How Putin ‘condescending’ to Trump is the tyrant’s BIGGEST mistake
VLADIMIR Putin has made the biggest mistake of the war so far after “patronising” Donald Trump over the phone, US political experts say.
Triumphslapped punitive sanctionson Russia on Wednesday after a turbulent week in whichKremlin almost ostracized by Washingtonfor his refusal to accept a peace agreement in Ukraine.
The two main ones in RussiaoilCompanies now face a difficult future following Trump’s decision to punishMoscowabout himfailed ceasefire talks.
In announcing the sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attributed the sanctions to “Putin’s refusal to put an end to this.”it didn’t make sense“.
Oil is one ofRussiaBessent’s largest economic pillars even say that companies are responsible for “financing theKremlin“He was a machine.”
Russia’s ability tosell crucial oilis now in serious danger after similar sanctions were applied throughoutEurope.
Former US Undersecretary of State for Europe, Daniel Fried, told theAtlantic CouncilHe believes that everything has started to fall apart sincePutin spoke with Trumpby phone.
Fried explained: “This is the first time the Trump administration has imposed new financial restrictions on Russia.
“And it came after Putin obstructed a ceasefire and patronized Trump.
“Today’s action is a welcome warning to Putin to put aside games and maximalism and get serious about ending the war.”