Russia to modernise its forces in response to Nato moves

RUSSIA IS to modernise radically its weapons systems and improve the combat readiness of its military in response to Nato overtures to former Soviet republics such as Ukraine and Georgia, President Dmitry Medvedev announced yesterday.

He said the global economic crisis, which has hit Russia hard, would not affect plans to develop state-of-the-art weaponry and overhaul the armed forces to help the country deal better with regional conflicts, terrorism and western efforts to shrink its traditional sphere of influence.

“Attempts to expand the military infrastructure of Nato near the borders of our country are continuing,” Mr Medvedev told an annual meeting with defence ministry staff.

“The primary task is to increase the combat readiness of our forces. First of all, our strategic nuclear forces. They must be able to fulfil all the necessary tasks to ensure Russia’s security.”

The Kremlin leader said a “large-scale rearming” of the army and navy would begin in 2011, and insisted that “significant funds are earmarked for the development and purchase” of new weapons. Spending would not be cut as Russia enters its first recession in a decade.

Mr Medvedev, seen as less hawkish than his mentor Vladimir Putin, has sent mixed signals to new US president Barack Obama: he chose US election day to announce plans to deploy missiles in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, but later pledged to scrap that decision if Mr Obama agreed not to build a US-run missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Moscow is deeply wary of efforts by Ukraine and Georgia to join Nato, however, and is concerned about US and European Union attempts to boost ties with energy-rich former Soviet states in central Asia, a trend that gained pace with January’s gas crisis and renewed doubts over the reliability of Russian fuel supplies.

“US aspirations have been aimed at getting access to raw materials, energy and other resources [in ex-Soviet states]”, minister for defence Anatoly Serdyukov said. “Active support has been given to processes aimed at pushing Russia out of the sphere of its traditional interests.”

Analysts questioned Russia’s ability to finance a major rearmament project during the economic crisis, and noted the difficulties involved in reforming a million-strong military that is riddled with corruption, and in slashing its numbers at a time of rising unemployment.