Valuing the human factor: The reform of Russian military manpower

Abstract

Russia's new military reform aims to modernize the armed forces, create a professional, high‐tech military, and defend against threats to its interests. This reform will fail unless it overcomes major obstacles to military reform. These obstacles are a threat assessment that demands defense and deterrence against everyone on all fronts or azimuths, the crisis of state power and defense policy that obstructs democratization and a coherent policy process, and the continuing Tsarist ‘regimental economy’ that leaves soldiers to the mercy of officers, and facilitates the military's corruption and brutalization. Until Russia overcomes these obstacles, military or democratic reform will not succeed, nor will Russia be truly secure.