Demographic decline was supposed to keep Russia at bay. But maybe the opposite is true: Russia’s adverse demographic trends could be pushing the country to become more aggressive, not less. —The New York Times In 2009, former secretary of defense Robert Gates wrote
Thanks for this essay as the demography factor is insufficiently taken into consideration when analysing the balance of power between nations.
I am reminded of this quote from the 2009 book "The Next 100 years" from geopolitical analyst George Friedman who wrote: "Time is working against it. Russia’s problem will soon be its ability to field an army sufficient for its strategic needs. Internally, the number of Russians compared to other ethnic groups is declining, placing intense pressure on Russia to make a move sooner rather than later.”
A quote that appeared in my July 2022 essay on Ukraine :
Thanks for this essay as the demography factor is insufficiently taken into consideration when analysing the balance of power between nations.
I am reminded of this quote from the 2009 book "The Next 100 years" from geopolitical analyst George Friedman who wrote: "Time is working against it. Russia’s problem will soon be its ability to field an army sufficient for its strategic needs. Internally, the number of Russians compared to other ethnic groups is declining, placing intense pressure on Russia to make a move sooner rather than later.”
A quote that appeared in my July 2022 essay on Ukraine :
https://thenomadhistorian.substack.com/p/the-ukrainian-dilemma