Jason BelliniRussia showcased on Friday its naval military might in the Black Sea.
On the same day in the Rostov region of Russia, which borders Ukraine, Russian artillery units practiced firing, reloading, and firing again modern-appearing weapons.
And earlier this week in Belarus, whose southern border is less than 50 miles from Kiev, Ukraine’s capitol, Russian and Belarusian troops rehearsed tactics displaying how well-uniformed and well-equiped they are for combat.
The footage, provided by the Russian Defense Ministry, offers the world visual evidence of what military experts have been seeing: the caliber of Russia’s military, in recent years, has been rising.
Under Russian President Vladimir Putin the country’s military spending since 2006 has been increasing substantially, especially after 2008, a year that was a turning point for Tussia’s military. A war over disputed territories in the republic of Georgia exposed how much of Russia's military technology was out of date.
Now Russia’s military has fewer conscripts, and around 400,000 well-trained, well-supplied volunteer soldiers.
Russia’s been spending big on advanced technologies, bolstering its air capabilities, acquiring more than 1,000 new aircraft.
Its ground forces are also now equipped with upgraded technology.
Despite receiving billions of dollars in modern U.S. military equipment, Ukraine — if it’s invaded by Russia —will be out-flown, out-tanked and out-gunned.
