Research for economic limitations

After the Soviet Union was dissolved, the new Russian Federation faced an agenda calling for fundamental transformation. There were five major challenges for Russia, among them to conduct military reform. Today, while there is finally a blueprint for military reform, there is still no coherent and integrated government military reform strategy in sight, no balancing of stated commitments and available resources. Fundamental military reform will for some time likely remain hostage to a growing pyramid of foreign and domestic debt and a strained internal situation. The Russian state is hampered by poor tax collection; high turnover of prime ministers, cabinet members, and presidential advisors; and continuing competition between the military and non-Ministry of Defense (MOD) security forces for scarce resources and power. This paper discusses the failed military reforms of Boris Yeltsin; the Sergeyev reforms, the Kvashnin alternatives; economic limitations; the military-industrial complex; Russia's reliance on strategic nuclear forces; politics and the military under Putin; reform under Putin; and, civilian control and the Ministry of Defense.