President Vladimir Putin’s much-vaunted military reforms are headed for the rocks unless Moscow can address serious political and economic challenges. Download the article (PDF)Wide-ranging reforms of the military that have been ongoing since 2008 have enhanced the capabilities of Russia’s armed forces, allowing them to more effectively pursue the Kremlin’s foreign policy objectives. Yet while the West has been impressed with the ambitious rearmament programme, there are serious political problems on the horizon, highlighting Moscow’s weaknesses.Russia’s economy is still reeling as a result of poor management, the slump in oil prices, as well as the imposition of Western sanctions following …read more
Russia’s Military Reform: Why the Kremlin Needs the West
