Update on Russian arms sales to the Middle East and North Africa

In early March, I posted a list of Russian arms sales to the Middle East and North Africa. Since then, more comprehensive information has come out on this topic. Most importantly, Ruslan Pukhov just published a comprehensive overview of Russian arms contracts with North African states in the most recent issue of VPK. Plus the [...]

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Gareev’s response to Makarov

Friday’s NVO carried Gareev’s response to Makarov’s speech at the Military Science Academy. Or more accurately, it was his response to the reporting about the speech. Most of the text consisted of whining about how journalists have been misreporting the tenor of Makarov’s remarks, that he wasn’t actually criticizing the academy, but simply pointing out [...]

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Makarov takes down Gareev and the military’s old guard

By now, there have been a number of articles analyzing Nikolai Makarov’s speech at the General Assembly of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences. At the risk of repetition, let me add my two cents to the discussion. A fundamental critique of the military’s academic establishment It seems to me that the most important part [...]

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Text of Makarov’s speech at the Academy of Military Sciences

Originally published in Russian in Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kur’er, March 30, 2011. — On 26 March, a general reporting-election session of the Academy of the Military Sciences took place. The title of the agenda was: “Results of the Work of the Academy of the Military Sciences in the Period 2005-2010 and the Tasks for the Subsequent Period”. Leaders of the Ministry [...]

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A quick summary of Russian military pay increases

This is mostly for ease of reference. Starting in January 2012, base pay rates in the Russian military will be as follows: Contract soldiers: 25,000 rubles per month Platoon commanders (Lt.): 30,000 (without bonuses) Regiment commander (Lt. Col.-Col.): 40-42,000 (without bonuses) Brigade commander (Col.-Maj. Gen.): 42-44,000 (without bonsuses) Army commander (Lt. Gen.): 54,000 (without bonuses) [...]

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