Is Russia's Military Leaner And More Meaner?

Military parade in Red Square. Wikipedia

Leonid Bershidsky, Blommberg: Russia's Military Is Leaner, But Meaner

Vladimir Putin's military may be less well funded than Donald Trump's, but it's better suited to modern conflicts.

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual press conference on Thursday, a friendly journalist asked Putin whether the escalating tension in relations with the U.S. and the crumbling of arms control treaties would draw Russia into an unsustainable arms race. "We will ensure our security without engaging in an arms race," the president replied, citing widely diverging dollar numbers for the U.S. and Russian defense budgets.

That's a simplistic answer from a politician starting an election campaign (of sorts: Putin is headed for re-election in March without giving anyone else a chance). The more pointed question that should be asked is this: How, with a relatively small and decreasing military budget -- 2.77 trillion rubles ($42.3 billion) for 2018, down from some 3.05 trillion rubles this year -- is Russia is still a formidable military rival to the U.S., with its enormous and increasing budget of almost $692.1 billion in 2018, up from $583 billion this year?

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WNU Editor: I am not sure about labeling the Russian military as "leaner" . They also have serious military development and procurement problems like the U.S., as well as the same inefficiencies that drive any large organization. As to labeling the Russian military as "more meaner" .... there is probably some truth to that. The rules of engagement for the Russian military are not restricted as they are for American soldiers .... and that does make a difference on the battlefield.