IT is with utmost interest that I read the article by a Sovietologist, Hermenegildo C. Cruz, titled "Putin's Potemkin military," in the Manila Times dated July 16, 2022. Nevertheless, I feel obliged to comment on some of the points raised by the author.

Relying on the statements of persons questionable in the eyes of Russian society and drawing by the ears separately taken facts that are in no way connected with each other, the author draws far-reaching conclusions about the combat capability of the Russian army and makes gloomy forecasts for Russia at the backdrop of the Ukrainian crisis. His analysis of the Russian military is based, as it's indicated in the article, on his observation of the Soviet military organization. However, it's a little bit strange taking into account that Russia and its armed forces have undergone drastic changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In all these reflections, bias prevails as well as a clear unwillingness to recognize the harsh reality of the changing configuration of the world order, which is based on the erosion of American unipolarity and the growth of polycentricity in the international system.

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