the father of the army, an openly gay man Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben.
I really don't think the Russian Troops or Leadership, even care about that..
But what they, and the rest of the world, DO notice? Is the DOD offering sex changes as enlistment incentives, the rising rates of health issues including pericarditis among our troops, (from the clot shot) and the total willingness of our leadership to abandon our longtime allies, to the mercy of their blood enemies.. And the fact that our Military Fluster Clock can't seem to stop dropping our newest stealth combat jets in the Ocean, within easy reach of our adversaries..
Believe me, they DEFINITELY notice those things!
And as far as attacking from the north in Belarus? The Pripyat marshes are still there, with only 2 major routes running through it, East to West.. Look at a map, it pretty much spans the whole border between Belarus and Ukraine.. It is just as formidable a barrier to Armored forces now, as it was in 1941..