Analyzing the Economic Influences on the Evolution of the Russian Military Since 1991

Abstract

In this paper, I will discuss the development of the Russian military from its weakened state of the early 1990’s to its current role as an international actor in the Middle East, specifically Syria, and will examine the economic conditions, policies, and developments that have influenced its growth and evolution. I will begin by discussing how the political and economic conditions of the early 1990’s contributed to a weak and unorganized military in immediate post-Soviet Russia and will continue to talk about how specific policies and world oil prices contributed to an economic revival. I will conclude by examining how the Russian military industrial complex has influenced its current involvement in Syria and will argue that there is a strong and clear correlation between the economic success in Russia and its military strength.