Russian military

Russian military
Name	Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Native name	Вооружённые силы Российской Федерации
Founded	1992
Headquarters	Moscow
Commander in chief	Vladimir Putin
Defence minister	Sergei Shoigu
Active personnel	900,000 (approx.)
Reserve personnel	2,000,000 (approx.)
Manpower age	18–27

Russian military is the collective armed forces of the Russian Federation formed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It inherited doctrine, personnel, and assets from the Soviet Armed Forces and has been reshaped by political leadership including Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin, strategic imperatives in the Cold War legacy, and conflicts such as the First Chechen War and the Second Chechen War. The force projects power regionally and globally through strategic nuclear forces descended from Strategic Rocket Forces traditions and naval assets operating from the Northern Fleet to the Pacific Fleet.

History

The post-1991 period saw reorganization following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the transfer of nuclear custody established by the Lisbon Protocol and the START I framework. The 1990s featured budget constraints under Boris Yeltsin and combat experience in the First Chechen War and the Second Chechen War, which informed reforms pursued during the early 2000s under Sergei Ivanov and Anatoly Serdyukov. Major structural reform initiatives occurred after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, prompting the 2008–2012 reform program led by Dmitry Medvedev and military modernization under Vladimir Putin. Recent operations include interventions in Syria supporting the Syrian Arab Republic and the 2014 annexation of Crimea following the Euromaidan turmoil and subsequent operations in Donbas.

Organization and Command Structure

Command authority rests with the President of Russia as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, with the Ministry of Defence providing civilian administration and the General Staff responsible for operational command. The chief of the General Staff oversees strategic planning, joint operations, and coordination with the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Emergency Situations for civil-military interaction. Russia is organized into regional commands including the Western Military District, Southern Military District, Central Military District, Eastern Military District, and the Northern Fleet as a distinct strategic command. Key leadership figures have included Valery Gerasimov and Sergei Shoigu in recent years.

Branches and Forces

Principal components include the Ground Forces, Russian Aerospace Forces, Russian Navy, and the Strategic Rocket Forces. Supporting and specialized formations include the Airborne Forces (VDV), Special Operations Forces, and the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya), which is separate but operates in internal security roles. The Coastal Troops of the Russian Navy and Long-Range Aviation provide expeditionary and strategic reach, while the Russian Space Forces and elements from the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) contribute to reconnaissance and electronic warfare.

Equipment and Capabilities

Equipment ranges from legacy platforms such as the T-72 family and Su-27 derivatives to modern systems like the T-14 Armata prototype and Su-57 fifth-generation fighter development. Strategic deterrence is centered on intercontinental ballistic missiles operated by the Strategic Rocket Forces, including solid- and liquid-fueled systems deployed in the Yenisey-spanning regions and Arctic basing areas. Naval capabilities include Kirov-class battlecruiser-class heritage, modern Yasen-class submarine developments, and the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier program. Air defense architecture integrates systems such as S-400 and S-300 families and mobile platforms like the Pantsir series. Electronic warfare equipment and integrated command systems have been emphasized following lessons from the Georgia (2008) war and deployments to Syria.

Personnel and Training

Personnel policies combine professional contracts and conscription; training pipelines include institutions such as the Moscow Higher Military Command School and the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. Elite units receive advanced preparation in airborne, alpine, and urban combat at centers like the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School and facilities used for UNSA-style exercises. Conscripts typically serve 12 months under statutory frameworks set by the Federal Law on Military Duty and Military Service, while contract soldiers participate in overseas deployments and specialized missions. Recruitment and retention have been affected by demographic trends, economic incentives, and the operational tempo since 2014.

Operations and Deployments

Operations since 2000 include counterinsurgency in the North Caucasus during the Chechen Wars, expeditionary support to the Syrian Arab Republic beginning in 2015, the 2014 Annexation of Crimea and subsequent operations in Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast, and ongoing deployments in Arctic regions near Murmansk and the Kola Peninsula. Russia conducts large-scale exercises such as Zapad (military exercise), Vostok (military exercise), and Tsentr (military exercise), and participates in bilateral activity with partners like Belarus and China including formations tied to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation framework.

Modernization and Defense Industry

Modernization programs are driven by state-owned enterprises like United Shipbuilding Corporation, United Aircraft Corporation, and Almaz-Antey, with procurement overseen by the State Armament Program. Indigenous development focuses on next-generation platforms, hypersonic weapons such as Avangard and Kinzhal, and upgrades to armor and avionics through firms like Uralvagonzavod and Sukhoi. Sanctions following the 2014 Crimea Crisis and later international measures have impacted supply chains and spurred import substitution policies coordinated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Defense exports remain significant through entities such as Rosoboronexport, supplying systems to countries including India, China, and Syria.

Category:Military of Russia