Russia appeared overwhelmingly strong when its battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and torpedo boats were totaled across the empire. Those assets were divided among distant theaters, however, and many Baltic torpedo craft could not make the voyage. What mattered was not cumulative ownership but which trained, supportable vessels could reach the war together at the required time. Japan concentrated modern combatants and substantial local infrastructure in the theater, turning nominal inferiority into usable superiority.
Notable Point · 29:48-34:55
Why Russia's paper strength could not reach the battle
Cumulative ship totals obscured the decisive question: which vessels could arrive together, supported and ready, where the war was being fought.