Military of Russia

Military of Russia
Unit name	Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Native name	Вооружённые силы Российской Федерации
Caption	Flag of the Russian Armed Forces
Founded	7 May 1992
Current form	1992
Branches	Russian Ground Forces, Russian Aerospace Forces, Russian Navy, Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, Russian Airborne Forces (VDV), Special Operations Forces (Russia)
Headquarters	Moscow
Commander-in-chief	President of Russia
Minister	Sergei Shoigu
Chief of staff	Valery Gerasimov
Age	18–27
Conscription	12 months
Active	c. 1,150,000 (2024)
Reserve	c. 2,000,000
Industry	Rostec, United Aircraft Corporation, United Shipbuilding Corporation, Almaz-Antey
Foreign suppliers	Historically Soviet Union
Related articles	History of the Russian military, Soviet Armed Forces

Military of Russia. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation constitute one of the world's largest military establishments, tracing its institutional lineage directly to the Imperial Russian Army and the Soviet Armed Forces. It is a combined military force comprising independent service branches including the Russian Ground Forces, Russian Aerospace Forces, and Russian Navy, alongside independent arms of service like the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces and the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV). The military is ultimately subordinate to the President of Russia, who serves as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, with operational command exercised through the Ministry of Defence (Russia) and the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

History

The modern military's foundations were laid with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, inheriting the bulk of the personnel and assets of the Soviet Armed Forces. The early post-Soviet period was marked by severe underfunding and crises, exemplified by the poor performance during the First Chechen War. A major reform and modernization program was initiated following the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, which exposed significant shortcomings. This transformation accelerated under Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov and later Sergei Shoigu, seeking to create a more professional, agile, and technologically advanced force. Historical legacy remains central, with the military actively commemorating victories from the Great Patriotic War and earlier conflicts like the Battle of Poltava and the Battle of Borodino.

Organization

The armed forces are organized into several service branches and independent arms. The main combat services are the Russian Ground Forces, commanded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, the Russian Aerospace Forces (which consolidated the Russian Air Force and Russian Air Defence Forces), and the Russian Navy, which includes the Russian Northern Fleet and Russian Black Sea Fleet. Two separate branches hold strategic significance: the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, responsible for land-based nuclear missiles, and the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV), an elite rapid-reaction force. Overall command and control flows from the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, headed by the Chief of the General Staff (Russia), through four major military districts and the Northern Fleet Joint Strategic Command.

Personnel

Personnel structure is based on a mix of conscripts, serving one-year terms, and volunteer contract soldiers (*kontraktniki*). A major drive since the 2010s has aimed to increase the proportion of professional personnel, particularly in key combat units. The officer corps is trained through a network of academies such as the Military Academy of the General Staff and the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy. The Russian Armed Forces also maintain a large reserve component. Notable figures in its modern history include commanders like Army General Valery Gerasimov, architect of the so-called "Gerasimov doctrine", and heroes from the Second World War such as Georgy Zhukov.

Equipment

The military's inventory is predominantly of domestic Soviet and Russian design, undergoing a significant modernization effort known as the *Gosudarstvennaya Programma Vooruzheniy* (State Armament Programme). Key platforms include the T-14 Armata main battle tank, Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, and Borei-class submarine. Strategic nuclear deterrence relies on systems like the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile and Borei-class ballistic missile submarines. Major defense conglomerates like Rostec, United Aircraft Corporation, and Almaz-Antey are responsible for research, development, and production. The force also employs a wide array of artillery, multiple launch rocket systems like the Tornado-S, and air defense systems such as the S-400 missile system.

Budget and industry

Russia consistently ranks among the top nations in military expenditure, with its budget managed by the Ministry of Finance (Russia) and heavily influenced by global oil and gas prices. A significant portion of funding is directed towards the state armament programs, procurement, and research & development. The defense industrial base, centered on state corporations like Rostec and United Shipbuilding Corporation, is a major employer and exporter, with significant arms sales to nations such as India, Algeria, and Vietnam. Key production and research centers are located in cities like Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, and Irkutsk.

Deployments and conflicts

Since its formation, the military has been actively deployed in numerous conflicts and operations. These include major campaigns within the Russian Federation, such as the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War, and beyond its borders, notably the Russo-Georgian War in South Ossetia. Its most extensive and ongoing deployment is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, beginning with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalating into a full-scale war in 2022. Other operational deployments include the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war in support of the Syrian government, and peacekeeping missions in regions like Nagorno-Karabakh and Kazakhstan.

Doctrine and strategy

Russian military doctrine emphasizes strategic deterrence, with a central role for nuclear weapons as articulated in documents like the "Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence". Conventional strategy focuses on creating favorable conditions rapidly through concepts like "strategic operations" and the integrated use of non-military tools, an approach often associated with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Key strategic exercises, such as Zapad and Vostok, test mobilization and interoperability. The doctrine also highlights the defense of strategic regions like the Arctic and the protection of interests in the near abroad, viewing organizations like NATO and the European Union as primary security challenges.

Category:Military of Russia Category:Armed forces by country