Russian tanks, missiles back in Red Square parade for first time since Soviet collapse

Saturday 10th May, 04:36 AM JST

MOSCOW —

Russia showcased its revived military might and a new, young-faced president to the world Friday, as tanks and missiles rolled across Red Square for the first time since Soviet times in a Victory Day parade that evoked echoes of the Cold War.

In his nationally broadcast speech, Dmitry Medvedev, the 42-year-old lawyer who was sworn in Wednesday, avoided the bellicose rhetoric of his mentor, Vladimir Putin, who drew parallels between United States and Nazi Germany during last year’s parade.

However, he said the history of World War II had demonstrated that military conflicts are rooted in “irresponsible ambitions which prevail over interests of nations and entire continents.”

“We must not allow contempt for the norms of international law,” he said in what sounded like a veiled criticism of the United States and its Western allies.

Russia has consistently criticized both the U.S.-led war in Iraq and wide Western recognition of Kosovo’s independence as flagrant violations of international legal norms.

A stern-faced Putin, who was named prime minister a day earlier, hovered at Medvedev’s shoulder at a colorful podium and staging built to hide a mausoleum where Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin is kept.

As Medvedev spoke, Putin’s face was prominently shown in TV broadcasts—an image that played to the wide belief that the ex-president will continue calling the shots.

Medvedev—Russia’s third post-Soviet president—hailed the resurgence of the military which he said can “give a reliable protection to the motherland.”

“Our army and navy are getting stronger. Just as Russia itself, they are gaining strength,” he said.

Over 100 combat vehicles, including intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, rolled across the famed cobblestoned square, and strategic bombers and fighter jets roared overhead in the first such display in 18 years. Medvedev smiled frequently as he watched the parade, which during the Soviet Union was an annual exercise in saber-rattling directed at the West.

Russia’s military spending has increased eightfold to an annual $40 billion during Putin’s eight-year tenure, thanks to the nation’s oil bonanza. Analysts, however, say the armed forces suffer from the same problems that dented its capability and prestige since the Soviet collapse.

Widespread bullying of young conscripts by older soldiers has made draft extremely unpopular, and the once-proud military has been plagued by rampant official corruption and mismanagement. Despite repeated pledges by Putin to modernize military arsenals, the armed forces have purchased only a handful of new combat jets and several dozen tanks.

Most of the combat equipment shown in Friday’s parade was slightly modernized versions of the Soviet weapons designed in the 1980s.

“As the Soviet Union in the past, Russia wants to demonstrate its might to potential enemies,” military analyst Alexander Golts wrote in the online Yezhednevny Zhurnal. “But the West clearly understands the true picture behind the talk of ‘rising potential.’”

Modern communications and control systems remain scarce, and a Russian equivalent to the U.S. GPS satellite navigation system has failed to come on line as scheduled this year amid equipment shortages. Even such basics as night goggles, portable radios and satellite phones are still rarities.

The navy has been in particularly poor shape. Soviet-built nuclear submarines frequently need repairs and rarely leave their bases. The first in a series of new nuclear submarines, Yuri Dolgoruky, is to be commissioned later this year, but the Bulava nuclear missile developed to arm it has failed tests and its deployment prospects are uncertain.

In a recent analysis of Putin’s presidency, former government ministers Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Milov wrote that official corruption was the key reason behind the failure to upgrade military arsenals, despite a steep increase in funding.

“The lack of efficient civilian control over military spending has encouraged corruption and swelled weapons prices,” Nemtsov and Milov wrote. “The number of weapons delivered to the military is scandalously small.”

Growing military spending did allow the military to intensify combat training and increase military wages. Putin last year ordered the resumption of strategic bomber patrols, and a Russian naval squadron recently visited the Mediterranean in the largest such deployment since the Soviet times.

Putin has taken an increasingly assertive posture in relations with the West, staunchly opposing the U.S. intention to deploy missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, and NATO plans to incorporate Ukraine and Georgia.

He suspended Russia’s obligations under a Soviet-era arms control treaty limiting the deployment of aircraft, tanks and other weapons in Europe, and he threatened to point Russian nuclear missiles at nations which would host U.S. missile defense sites.

Analysts say that Russia’s top military brass and defense industries pushed the Kremlin to view the West as an enemy.

“Putin has failed to set a rational military policy,” said Pavel Podvig, a research associate at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation. “The military brass and weapons industries have been allowed to set course, and they did what they got used to. Generals always fight the last war.”

10 Comments

Coligny at 05:49 PM JST - 10th May

Did you write this article just to comfort yourself ? Between, modernized equipement, training and high moral of the troops I certainly would not want to start a war against them. Unlike the Chinese who can't start any war without losing 99% of their customers and so comitting complete economical suicide, Russia don't care, that make them much more dangerous.
1keiron at 10:16 PM JST - 10th May

“Our army and navy are getting stronger. Just as Russia itself, they are gaining strength,” he said.

big yawn... Russia..come back when you have some positive input for the planet instead of playing "Command and Conquer". It's all i ever hear from Russia..military this, sukhoi fighter that..Its so boring and pathetic.
some14some at 10:35 PM JST - 10th May

I am glad to see upgrade version of Soviet Union, now atleast we have more than one Super Powers on this planet.
soothsayer at 12:17 AM JST - 11th May

I am glad to see upgrade version of Soviet Union, now atleast we have more than one Super Powers on this planet.

Yes, I love seeing nuclear capable missiles paraded around too. How intelligent we are!
OssanULTRA at 01:42 AM JST - 11th May

"I am glad to see upgrade version of Soviet Union, now atleast we have more than one Super Powers on this planet."

Last time we had a cold war the Soviets considere China as much fair game as the United States. Or have we forgotten that?
rjd_jr at 04:03 AM JST - 11th May

Very interesting developments in light of recent events. Apprarently much of the military doctrine during the 70's and 80's (and before too) was concentrated on the eastern bloc communist threat. This meant a presence in Europe with military bases and manuevers and training dedicated to this potential threat. With the rise of Islamic militants in the 90's and this decade, the emphasis had been shifting to the middle east and Islamic regions, at the cost of closing bases throughout Europe and de-emphasizing cold weather warfare, etc. etc. Now that the U.S. has its hands behind its back with the Iraq/Afghan issue, this is the perfect opportunity for the sharks circling around, smelling blood. This is hardly welcome news considering military resources are stretched to the limit, with the potential threat once again of the Soviets.
adaydream at 04:54 AM JST - 11th May

Another cold war?

We're trying to place missiles on Czech and Polish soil and we don't expect the Soviet Union to show a force to be remembered?

Plus we're in one hell of a bad place. We're spread out between Afghanistan and Iraq, plus Korea, Germany and Japan. We're indebt up to our hairline and pushing all our weapons to the MiddleEast. This is a wonderful time to flex their muscles.
SuperLib at 04:46 PM JST - 11th May

It's mostly just domestic huffing and puffing, trying to replace lost pride from the collapse of the country/system. I'm actually looking forward to any increased threat from Russia sending Europe back under the US's wings again. But in the end I really don't think the Russians are much of a threat.
Betzee at 09:43 PM JST - 12th May

It's mostly just domestic huffing and puffing, trying to replace lost pride from the collapse of the country/system.

Power in the new world order is measured in ways other than just military might.

I'm actually looking forward to any increased threat from Russia sending Europe back under the US's wings again.

If can think back to the NATO summit in February and what happened you will appreciate the source of Russia's formidable post-Cold war power. Specifically, GWB tried to get Georgia (and one other former Soviet state) into NATO, a pro-Western organization. He was unsuccessful because Germany and France, our allies, balked since Russia had made its displeasure known. Why should that matter? Well, Russia has become a major energy exporter (while the USA has to spend increasing amounts on oil imports). Russia, incidentally, has the the third largest dollar reserves after China and Japan. The Europeans, who are dependent on natural gas imports from the east, don't want to piss Moscow off.

GWB thought Russia would morph into a Kuwait in the post-Soviet era. Instead Putin has kept a lock on the energy pipeline infrastructure in the FSU and Gazprom, the state-owned energy monopoly, has become the most profitable business in Russia.
Betzee at 11:14 PM JST - 12th May

This article explains the basis of power in the world today (and it has nothing to do with tanks shows in Red Square):

If anything demonstrates the critical role of oil in determining the fate of superpowers in the current milieu, it is the spectacular reemergence of Russia as a Great Power on the basis of its superior energy balance. Once derided as the humiliated, enfeebled loser in the U.S.-Soviet rivalry, Russia is again a force to be reckoned with in world affairs. It possesses the fastest-growing economy among the G-8 group of major industrial powers, is the world's second leading producer of oil (after Saudi Arabia), and is its top producer of natural gas. Because it produces far more energy than it consumes, Russia exports a substantial portion of its oil and gas to neighboring countries, making it the only Great Power not dependent on other states for its energy needs.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/12/russian_oil/index1.html