Is The Russian Military A Formidible Force?

Russia’s Forces Are Ready for War - Army Chief. © RIA Novosti. Vadim Zhernov

The Russian Forces On Ukraine's Border May Not Be As Formidable As They Look -- Bloomberg Businessweek

The showdown in Ukraine has put on display a Russian military that’s dramatically better financed, better trained, and better equipped than it was just a few years ago.

Russia’s defense spending has more than doubled over the past decade. In 2013 it surpassed the U.S. as the major country devoting the greatest share of its national economy to defense—some 4.1 percent, vs. 3.8 percent in the U.S., according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Poorly disciplined draftees are gradually being replaced by professional soldiers, including crack troops sent into Ukraine’s Crimea region. Hundreds of billions of dollars are to be spent on arms procurement over the next few years.

Small wonder Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is seekinga ceasefire rather than risk conflict with his neighbor to the east.

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My Comment: I concur with much of this analysis. The Russian military has been undergoing a massive modernization program .... but it will take years before it reaches a capability that can be a threat to the West or to any of Russia's neighbors. Until then .... I expect Russia to be careful in choosing what conflicts it should get involved in .... to continue to establish alliances that would complement what it lacks on the military and political level .... and to publicly boast that they are ready for any developments in Ukraine, world.