External Security

Most Secret

Bureau of Foreign Military Affairs

Special Balkans Analysis Task Force

January 21, 2046


The Flag of the Duchy of Ruthenia

Report on the Duchy of Ruthenia

History

Duke Alexander Ermolov forged the duchy out of a collection of warring city states centered around the city of Lvov in 1999. Essentially a ruthless warlord, Duke Alexander proved adept at diplomacy and intimidation to enlarge his state and to create alliances with his neighbors to protect his gains. By the time of his death by natural causes in 2031, Ruthenia was an important player on the international scene in East Central Europe, despite its poverty. The current duke, Ivan, continued his father's Machiavellian diplomacy until the Mongol invasion. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he gave tribute to the Great Khan.

Diplomatic Situation

Currently, the duchy is an "allied" tributary state of the Mongol Empire.

The Ducal Family

Duke Ivan Ermolov was born on January 27, 2015. He is noted for the deviousness of his diplomacy and his skills on the battlefield. Well liked as a man by his neighbors, nonetheless, he greatly distrusted since it is clear he will do anything to enhance the power of Ruthenia. It is believed that one of the conditions of his accepting Mongol overlordship was the eventual recognition of Ivan's elevation to the title and status of king. He is married to Ludmilla Uszynski, the daughter of the king of East Poland. They have three children, the eldest son and heir, Piotr, married the daughter of the Duke of Bavaria two years ago.

Duke Ivan's sister Yelena is married to King Patrick's vassal, Czar Gregorii II of Northern France. One of his brothers, Nicolai, is married to the sister of the Duke of Transylvania. Nicolai is the commander of Duke Ivan's Guards.

Military Situation

The Ruthene Army is typical of those of East Central Europe. It has a strong, well armed component, the Ducal Guard, which is used to secure the duke's power over his own people and to back up his army on the battlefield. The best of the line troops are the civic militias from the local towns. These troops tend to be better drilled and armed. The forces provided by the countryside are a mixture of noble horse cavalry which tends to be brave and poorly disciplined, and peasant militia which tends to be timid and untrained. While such a force on its own would not pose a threat to civilized states, it is powerful enough to threaten its poorly developed neighbors.

Army Organization (provided by the RFIS, accuracy not verified by our sources)

The Ruthene Army

The Ducal Guard

Infantry Cohort

Cavalry Lifeguard Regiment

Noble Cavalry Regiment

4-5 brigades of civic militia

5-10 brigades of peasant militia

6-9 regiments of noble cavalry

Approximately 10 8 gun batteries of muzzle loading cannon

Military Equipment

Ducal Guard units are armed with expensive imported small arms, usually Italian, some Latin American, and a few UKA. Artillery is black powder muzzling loading, with the Ducal Guards possessing a few 81mm mortars. Civic militia units are usually armed with percussion rifle muskets, while peasants either have bows or smoothbore flintlocks. Noble cavalry are usually armored in scale or mail hauberks, and carry a wide variety of weapons, from lances to submachineguns.