That "surprising detail" is a second nature consideration for anyone operating mechanized forces or even just dealing with heavy machinery in that part of the world. It's as "goes without saying" to them as planning work to avoid scorching temperatures is to someone in the tropics. Anyone seeking to predict actions in that part of the world will naturally account for it the same way someone making an investment in a Saudi construction project will base their timelines around an expectation that concrete pads can't be poured 24/7 in summer.
Russia knows it. Ukraine knows it. The Ottomans back in the 1400s knew it.
Just because some other profession is a black box relative to your knowledge base doesn't mean every detail is one that anyone who begins obtaining knowledge of the field will not instantly pick up. Remember this next time someone on the internet tries to pass themself off as a professional roofer because they know not to peel the plastic off the bottom of the shingle (it literally says not to on it).
Knowledge that comes as second nature can also be referred to as tacit knowledge, and is not usually written down for a variety of reasons.
The ‘surprising’ part in my end comes from being jaded with how shallow so much media is today. It was refreshing to see details like this written down because it’s simultaneously obvious and true, and it lends credence to their analysis.
A typical Western "military analyst" these days often comes with a law degree, MBA, or even a financial jobber, sometimes with few years of service, or a stint at Westpoint, trying for a claim of being "serious subject matter expert," and making money off that.
As I said few times over the week, a lot of them don't even know the difference in between a tank, and an APC, so bad it is really.
Or put more correctly, think tanks are collections of analysts who get paid to do research and generate reports on said research. This is often done to support an agenda on behalf of the one paying for it. But doesn't automatically make the research invalid.
Russia knows it. Ukraine knows it. The Ottomans back in the 1400s knew it.
Just because some other profession is a black box relative to your knowledge base doesn't mean every detail is one that anyone who begins obtaining knowledge of the field will not instantly pick up. Remember this next time someone on the internet tries to pass themself off as a professional roofer because they know not to peel the plastic off the bottom of the shingle (it literally says not to on it).
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