Russia Military Forces 🇷🇺

Russia's military, despite significant losses in the war against Ukraine, remains a formidable force globally and a primary actor in its region. However, the ongoing conflict has exposed significant weaknesses, forcing a dramatic adaptation in its strategic posture and military-industrial complex.

Military Forces and Structure

The Russian Armed Forces are among the world's largest, with approximately 1.1 million active personnel in early 2025, and plans to expand to 1.5 million. The force is structured around the Ground Forces, Navy, and Aerospace Forces, supplemented by independent arms like the Strategic Rocket Forces and Airborne Forces. Russia maintains the world's largest nuclear arsenal, a key element of its strategic deterrence.

The war in Ukraine has led to staggering personnel losses, with estimates of killed and wounded reaching up to one million by June 2025. To compensate, Russia has mobilized its economy and is increasingly reliant on a mix of professional soldiers and conscripts, though the quality of training for new recruits is reportedly poor. The military has also lost a vast amount of equipment, including over 3000 tanks, forcing the reactivation of older Soviet-era models like the T-62 and T-54.

Russia's defense industry is operating around the clock to support the war effort, with a significant portion of the 2025 federal budget allocated to defense. While production of missiles and drones has increased, the industry faces challenges from Western sanctions, bureaucratic issues, and a lack of access to modern technology.

Strategic Trends and Future Outlook

The conflict in Ukraine has reshaped Russia's strategic priorities. The initial shock of high casualties and equipment losses has given way to a strategy of attrition, leveraging its larger population and mobilized economy. The Russian military has shown some capacity to adapt, increasing its use of drones, glide bombs, and electronic warfare.

A key foreseeable trend is Russia's continued focus on rebuilding and expanding its conventional forces, with a stated goal of increasing military personnel by nearly 50% from pre-war levels. This is framed as a necessary response to the perceived threat from NATO, particularly after Finland and Sweden's accession. However, the ability to equip these new forces with modern hardware remains a significant challenge.

In the short to medium term, while Russia's capacity for a large-scale conventional war against NATO is limited due to its commitments in Ukraine, it may still possess the capability for limited military actions. The Putin regime appears confident in its ability to sustain the war effort financially and its eventual victory over Ukraine. The long-term trajectory of Russia's military strength will depend heavily on the outcome of the war, the effectiveness of sanctions, and its ability to innovate and modernize its forces in a new geopolitical reality.