Russia
In: The military balance: the annual assessment of global military capabilities and defence economics, S. 211-234
ISSN: 0459-7222
The chapter summarizes developments in military operations from 2009 to early 2010 in the Russian Federation. The chapter provides a summary of Russia's military performance in the South Ossetian conflict of 2008. It explains of the changes that Army General Nikolai Makarov has proposed to the structure of the armed forces, which are described as being the most radical transformation of the Russian military in the last two hundred years. The plan envisages the transformation of the current four-tiered structure of the military into a three-tiered system creating a series of brigades which should better allow for regional conflict management in zones of foreign strategic interest. Military education and career management will be centralized into ten educational centers. The officer corps will be consolidated in order to eliminate redundant positions, and salaries for officers and other personnel are expected to triple in the next ten years. Despite the economic crisis, the Russian government has confirmed its commitment to maintaining high levels of defense spending aimed at modernization. The chapter discusses the role of arms exports to Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America as a tool of revenue generation for the armed forces. Kenny Cargill