the development of russian military policy and finland

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Underlying Russia’s reform of its armed forces, one can plainly see an effort
to respond to different kinds of challenges appearing in different parts of its
huge country. Organizational changes required by the times have been made.
Heavy and cumbersome divisions have given way to more manageable brigades
in the Western fashion. Old military districts (MD’s) have been abandoned,
and have given way to four operational-strategic combined commands,
still called military districts in peacetime. The Western MD was created
by combining the Leningrad and Moscow MD’s. Its HQ is located in St.
Petersburg, which is also a sign of the fact that the center of gravity in the
western direction has been displaced from Central Europe toward the
northwest.
Steps are being taken to modernize Russia’s dilapidated weaponry in comprehensive
ways via large and increasingly large appropriations, and in part
with the direct support of Germany and France. The armaments program in
effect until 2020 has received an equipment appropriation totalling about 20
trillion roubles or approximately 500 billion euro. Extensive start-up of serial
production of Russian military equipment is commencing for the first time
since the break-up of the Soviet Union.
General conscription will not be abandoned for at least the next ten to fifteen
years, which guarantees the country a trained military reserve of several
million men, 700,000 of which can be mobilised rapidly. Even if Russia develops
her armed forces primarily with local warfare capability in mind and
for control of her neighbourhood, she as a last resort, prepares also for a future
large-scale war. A large reserve is needed particularly in the eastern direction.
It is technically possible to use it as an occupying force.
It is apparent that in the west, Russia needs small, mobile, highly trained and
effective strike forces in high readiness, which are able to achieve operational
results directly from their peacetime deployments. This vision is the result of
new Russian military scientific thinking, which emphasizes the decisive importance
not only of the initial period of war, but above all the first strategic
strike, including pre-emptive actions.
The forces can be reinforced quickly if necessary. The abandonment of territorial
defence in most NATO countries and the increase in preparedness of
Russian forces created confusion and uncertainty in countries near Finland
and in the eastern parts of Central Europe.
The number of Russian troop units and troop strength in the former Leningrad
MD has changed markedly since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The large decrease that took place in the late 1990s and at the start of this
century has changed to an increased capability again.