Publication

This study traces Russia's attempts to reform its military since the mid- to late-1990s. The process got off to a rocky start because Boris Yeltsin permitted the army to fragment into multiple contending parts. Yeltsin's motive may have been understandable -- he wanted to protect his autocratic authority -- but it left Russia without a systematic planning process in place. As a result, Russia's ability to defend its interests decreased, as did its capacity for military reform. Nevertheless, Europe and the post-Soviet countries should expect Moscow to flex its renewed military muscles in their neighborhoods sooner than later.