World News - Russia's Flexing Muscles

[Cold War Part Deux]

Since the Russian challenge against Georgia in 2008 Vladimir Putin has been making some huge pushes for ramping up the Russian military backbone. For months reports have come in about a high presence of Russian military aircraft repeatedly buzzing around their neighbor's airspace. Production of tanks, armored vehicles and weapons is all up and even writer Nikolas K. Gvosdev entitled his recent November 2014 article on the subject: The Bear Awakens: Russia's Military Is Back.

Royal Netherlands Air Force intercepted this Russian Sukhoi

Today, there is an agreed-upon ceasefire between the Ukrainian government and the Pro-Russian rebels, but that hasn't stopped the violence. According to a recent UN report over 4,300 people have died, with almost one million displaced since the ignition of the conflict back in April. 

Gone are the days of thinking of Russia as a broke and weak state living in the shadow of its former glory. Putin's push towards a modern military infrastructure hasn't been empty talk. "The rhetoric has been matched by a concurrent allocation of resources; Russia is now engaged in its largest military buildup since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than two decades ago, with major increases in defense spending budgeted each year to 2020."¹

Russia's hand in retaking ex-Soviet satellite states

These are scary times as very soon Russia will be once again become a major player in the military super power game. "The growing size and sophistication of the yearly joint maneuvers with the Chinese army and navy have all worked to resurrect the image of Russia as a military threat."¹

While people are concerned about what new smartphone to get for the holidays, around the world this is happening...

Just be prepared for more news about Russia increasing their border strength and showing their military might in a number of unpleasant ways. It really does seem like Putin is planning on returning the Russian Federation back to the powerhouse days of the Soviet Union. So is the world really ready for another Cold War?





¹ Nikolas K. Gvosdev (2014). The Bear Awakens: Russia's Military Is Back. The National Interest.