>>/50221/
Following up the thought about Machiavelli. He also noted mercenaries will try to take over the power if the opportunity arise. In Russia this can be a problem. Wagner is several thousand strong (what were the numbers? 50K?), and Prigozhin is getting those media laurels, which makes him known, and maybe even popular. In the US this is not a problem merc companies (Blackwater and derivatives) are kept quiet, and while they can do important services, they are just a drop in the sea of foreign relations and military actions. Or at least the media doesn't draw such attention.
>>/50226/
I suspect that is the path of least resistance. Where the enemy conducts offensive operations they can't really dig in.
I dunno how large are the forces of Ukraine which can be used for serious assaults (unlike what the Kharkov and Kherson offensives were) against strong enemy groupings, but I again suspect they are only those who were trained in various European countries like UK, which means some 10 thousands (20? 40?).