The Bunker – News without the nonsense Putin's plans – How Russia is using Ukraine to prepare for future wars
Oct 28, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dara Massicot, a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace specializing in Russian military affairs, reveals how Russia has evolved since its early missteps in Ukraine. She analyzes lessons learned, from operational mistakes to the impressive mobilization that reshaped the war effort. Dara also highlights the dangers of underestimating drone warfare and discusses how recruitment strategies are sustaining Russia’s military despite high casualties. The conversation raises crucial points about the implications for future conflicts.
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Russia's Quiet Learning Curve
- Western assessments anchored to Russia's early 2022 failures underestimate Moscow's learning and adaptation over three years.
- Dara Massicot shows Russia quietly built a learning ecosystem that has changed tactics, training, and organization.
Mobilization Created A Learning Ecosystem
- The September 2022 mobilization added 300,000 personnel and gave the Kremlin new authorities to reallocate resources fast.
- That surge plus front-line feedback loops created an ecosystem to analyze combat experience and spread lessons nationwide.
Speed Over Perfection In Arms Production
- Russia cut red tape and shortened testing to prototype drones and FPV munitions rapidly despite quality issues.
- Mass production lets them tolerate higher failure rates by flooding battlefields with cheap systems.