Suchergebnisse

THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN CHECHNYA REVEALED THE FULL SCOPE AND DEPTH OF THE CRISIS FACING THE RUSSIAN SECURITY, INTELLIGENCE AND ARMED FORCES. THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THIS CAMPAIGN AND OFFERS THE FOLOWING CONCLUSIONS: THE BATTLE FOR CROZNY AND THE CHECHNYA CAMPAIGN ARE ONLY INDICATIVE OF THE TYPE OF DIFFICULTIES AN UNDER-FINANCED, UNDER-TRAINED AND ISOLATED ARMY FACES WHEN ASKED TO SALVAGE AN OPERATION LAUNCHED BY A GOVERNMENT RELYING PRIMARILY ON ITS INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES; IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO ASSUME THAT THE RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES ARE NO LONGER CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVE MILITARY OPERATION; AND, THE RUSSIAN MILITARY WILL PROBABLY RECOVER FROM ITS CURRENT PLIGHT.

AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION AND THE CREATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS), THE NEW INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES WERE FACED WITH THE DAUNTING TASK OF DEVELOPING NEW POLICIES. IT HAS PROVEN A MOST DIFFICULT TASK TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN TWO EXTREME APPROACHES: ON THE ONE HAND, CERTAIN CIRCLES ADVOCATED A COMPLETE BREAK FROM THE POLICIES OF THE SOVIET ERA, WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND, OTHERS LOBBIED HARD TO MAINTAIN AS MUCH CONTINUITY AS POSSIBLE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES IS MADE VERY DIFFICULT BY ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CHAOS IN RUSSIA AND BY THE RAPIDLY CHANGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT IN THE CIS. RUSSIA IS ATTEMPTING TO STRIKE A DIFFICULT BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEED TO MAINTAIN CAPABLE ARMED FORCES IN AN UNSTABLE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT AND THE NEED TO REASSURE ITS NEIGHBOURS ABOUT ITS PEACEFUL INTENTIONS.