Ukraine: The Forgotten Superpower

Feb 21, 2022

When the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, they left behind a massive army stationed in Ukraine, as a forward deployed threat against NATO. Overnight the new nation of Ukraine inherited a military consisting of: 780,000 troops, 6500 tanks, 7000 armored personnel carriers, 7200 artillery pieces, 1100 combat aircraft, the entire Black Sea Fleet (500 ships plus 25,000 Marines), and…1000 tactical nuclear weapons. They were the European military superpower.

The US and Western Europe pressured Ukraine to give up its nukes. We told them that the world would be safer without them. We told them that we would protect them. We told them that they could even join NATO if they wanted.

So, in 1992, Ukraine became the first country ever to get rid of it’s entire nuclear arsenal.

In 1996, due to severe budget constraints, along with internal strife within the military (many officers and defense ministers were still loyal to Russia) Ukraine began to drastically reduce it’s military.

By 2012 it had only 180,000 troops, 700 tanks, 170 combat aircraft, 1000 artillery pieces, and 22 ships…and no nukes. Remember, countries with nukes are not invaded.

This was the opportunity that Vlad Putin and Russia was waiting for. In 2014 Russia invade Crimea and took it over. They also invaded eastern Ukraine with the help of Ukrainians who are loyal to Russia.

Currently, with a massive Russian army on their border, Ukraine has been desperately trying to gear up to resist an overwhelming invasion. We will see if it is enough, or too little too late, or if Russia is simply bluffing. Russians are not known for bluffing.