Editing Russian Armed Forces (section)

==History==
{{Main|Military history of the Russian Federation}}
{{See also|Military history of the Russian Empire|Military history of the Soviet Union}}

===1991-2022===
The [[Soviet Union]] officially [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|dissolved]] on 25 December 1991. For the next year various attempts to keep its unity and to transform it into the military of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) failed. Over time, some units stationed in the newly independent republics swore loyalty to their new national governments, while a series of treaties between the newly independent states divided up the military's assets.{{sfn|Odom|1998|pages=369-387}}

Apart from assuming control of the bulk of the former Soviet [[Internal Troops]] and the [[Soviet Border Troops|KGB Border Troops]], seemingly the only independent defence move the new [[Government of Russia|Russian government]] made before March 1992 involved announcing the establishment of a [[National Guard of Russia|National Guard]].<ref>For some early discussion on this period, see Richard Woff, "A Russian Army", ''[[Jane's Intelligence Review]]'', May 1992, 198-200. See also ''Voenniy vestnik'' No 12, 1991.</ref> Until 1995, it was planned to form at least 11 [[brigade]]s numbering 3,000 to 5,000 each, with a total of no more than 100,000. National Guard military units were to be deployed in 10 regions, including in Moscow (three brigades), (two brigades), and a number of other important cities and regions. In Moscow alone 15,000 personnel expressed their desire to service in the new Russian Army, mostly former [[Soviet Armed Forces]] servicemen. In the end, President [[Boris Yeltsin|Yeltsin]] tabled a [[decree]] "On the temporary position of the Russian Guard", but it was not put into practice.<ref name="Korotkaya Russian gvardii.">{{cite web|url=http://tsiganok.ru/vpa/reforma/doc/260 |title=Short life of the new Russian Guard |publisher=Tsiganok.ru |date=21 December 2006 |access-date=24 March 2014}}</ref>

After signing the [[Belovezha Accords|Belavezha Accords]] on 21 December 1991, the countries of the newly formed CIS signed a protocol on the temporary appointment of [[Marshal of Aviation]] [[Yevgeny Shaposhnikov]] as [[Minister of Defence]] and commander of the armed forces in their territory, including strategic nuclear forces. On 14 February 1992 Shaposhnikov formally became Supreme Commander of the CIS Armed Forces. On 16 March 1992 a decree by Boris Yeltsin created the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the operational control of Allied High Command and the Ministry of Defence, which was headed by [[President (government title)|President]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Finally, on 7 May 1992, Yeltsin signed a decree establishing the armed forces and Yeltsin assumed the duties of the Supreme Commander.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politika.su/prav/minobor.html|script-title=ru:Министерство обороны Российской Федерации|trans-title=Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation|language=ru|publisher=Politika.su|access-date=24 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221184734/https://www.politika.su/prav/minobor.html|archive-date=21 December 2012}}</ref>

In May 1992, General Colonel [[Pavel Grachev]] became the Minister of Defence, and was made Russia's first [[Army General (Russia)|Army General]] on assuming the post. By August or December 1993 CIS military structures had become CIS military cooperation structures with all real influence lost.<ref>The Staff for Coordinating Military Cooperation was established as the CIS Joint Armed Forces High Command in March 1992 and then reorganised as the Coordinating Staff in August 1993. It quickly became a very weak body as the new states' authorities asserted their control over their own armed forces. (Russia and NIS Mineral Industry Handbook, International Business Publications, 2007.) [[Army General]] [[Vladimir Yakovlev (general)]] appears to have become Chief of the Staff in June 2001 (DS2002-0819).</ref>

In the next few years, Russian forces withdrew from central and eastern Europe, as well as from some newly independent post-Soviet republics.  While in most places the withdrawal took place without any problems, the Russian Armed Forces remained in some disputed areas such as the [[Sevastopol]] naval base in the [[Crimea]] as well as in [[Abkhazia]], [[South Ossetia]] and in [[Transnistria]]. The Armed Forces have [[List of Russian military bases abroad|several bases]] in foreign countries, especially on territory of the former Soviet Republics.

In late 2000 ''Gazeta.ru'' reported that of 600,000 personnel planned to be dismissed from the various "power ministries," the Armed Forces would be reduced by 365,000.<ref>Gazeta.ru, "Military Machine Sentenced to Cut-back," 10 November 2000, http://www.gazeta.ru/print/mmstcb.shtml.</ref>

Both in Soviet and Russian times, [[corruption]] has been a significant impediment to the Armed Forces. "The change from Yeltsin to Putin ..had minimal effect on Russian military corruption. Putin, despite his desire to rebuild Russian strength, has not shown himself willing or able
to seriously deal with" corruption.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bukkvoll |first=Tor |date=January 2008 |title=Their Hands in the Till: Scale and Causes of Russian Military Corruption |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0095327X06294622 |journal=Armed Forces & Society |language=en |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=259–275 |doi=10.1177/0095327X06294622 |s2cid=145238073 |issn=0095-327X |access-date=4 November 2023 |archive-date=4 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104010436/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0095327X06294622 |url-status=live }}</ref> From 1991 to 2001, Russian authorities uncovered at least 350 billion rubles' (US$11.5 billion) worth of corruption in the armed forces (with, for comparison, the total defence budget for 2001 being 214 billion rubles). Areas of particular concern identified by a researcher at the [[Norwegian Defence Research Establishment]] in 2007 included the State Defence Order (perhaps 10-15% realised in 2004); "[[ghost soldiers]]," as "it is generally acknowledged that the number of actually serving personnel differs substantially from the authorized number of personnel," and officers at various levels can pocket excess money for themselves; and "the domestic purchases of goods and services, where corrupt officers overpay civilian providers in return for bribes."

{{multiple image
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 | image1 = № 3009 А.И. Старчков.jpg
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 | alt2 = 
 | footer = Russian stamps honoring soldiers killed in the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]]. As of February 2023, the number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded in Ukraine was estimated at nearly 200,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/us/politics/ukraine-russia-casualties.html |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2 February 2023|title=Soaring Death Toll Gives Grim Insight Into Russian Tactics|access-date=19 March 2023|archive-date=7 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207184914/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/us/politics/ukraine-russia-casualties.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===2022-present===
On 24 February 2022, Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] gave the execute order to for the Armed Forces to begin the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news |title='Terrible toll': Russia's invasion of Ukraine in numbers |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/terrible-toll-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-in-numbers/ |work=[[Euractiv]] |date=14 February 2023 |access-date=19 March 2023 |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712061818/https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/terrible-toll-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-in-numbers/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Murtaza |title=The War in Ukraine Is Just Getting Started |url=https://theintercept.com/2023/03/09/ukraine-war-russia-iran-iraq/ |work=The Intercept |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=19 March 2023 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518234805/https://theintercept.com/2023/03/09/ukraine-war-russia-iran-iraq/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 10 April 2022 General [[Aleksandr Dvornikov]] assumed command of the operation.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Burns |first1=Robert |last2=Yen |first2=Hope |date=10 April 2022 |title=US doubts new Russian war chief can end Moscow's floundering |publisher=AP News |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-appoints-new-ukraine-war-commander-dvornikov-225f976f9abfb5aff6154ac3b77c21e6 |access-date=3 June 2022 |archive-date=5 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605060139/https://apnews.com/article/russia-appoints-new-ukraine-war-commander-dvornikov-225f976f9abfb5aff6154ac3b77c21e6?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP&utm_campaign=SocialFlow |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2022, at the same time as the Armed Forces began suffering [[Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War|severe casualties]], the Ground Forces began to site ammunition in or near structures which are frequented by civilians due to the [[human shield]] benefit, ostensibly because Ukrainian [[HIMARS]] had tilted the odds of his strategy of attrition by artillery.<ref name="jpalj">{{cite news |last1=Psaropoulos |first1=John |title=Russia resumes eastern Ukraine offensive and expands war aims |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/21/russia-resumes-hostilities-as-ukraine-targets-ammunition |publisher=Al Jazeera Media Network |date=21 June 2022 |access-date=24 July 2022 |archive-date=25 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725192317/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/21/russia-resumes-hostilities-as-ukraine-targets-ammunition |url-status=live }}</ref> Within hours after Defence Minister [[Sergei Shoigu]]'s signature on the UN-brokered deal to resume Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports, Russia bombed the [[Port of Odesa]].<ref name="skyyt">{{cite news |title=Ukraine War: Missiles hit Odesa hours after grain agreement |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgVplcsjxRc |agency=YouTube |publisher=Sky News |date=23 July 2022 |access-date=24 July 2022 |archive-date=3 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803234052/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgVplcsjxRc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="f24un">{{cite news |title=UN officials announce grain exports deal with Russia, Ukraine and Turkey |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220722-live-ukraine-ports-to-reopen-after-grain-export-deal-with-russia-says-turkey |publisher=FRANCE 24 |date=22 July 2022 |access-date=24 July 2022 |archive-date=24 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724120705/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220722-live-ukraine-ports-to-reopen-after-grain-export-deal-with-russia-says-turkey |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to ''[[Forbes]]'' Moscow had committed, as of the end of July 2022, 10 of its [[Combined Arms]] Armies to the invasion.<ref name="dasuf">{{cite news |last1=Axe |first1=David |title=In Southern Ukraine, Kyiv's Artillery Drops Bridges And Isolates A Whole Russian Army |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/07/29/in-southern-ukraine-kyivs-artillery-drops-bridges-and-isolates-a-whole-russian-army/?sh=54b2cb0c1e1a |work=Forbes |date=29 July 2022 |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908151335/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/07/29/in-southern-ukraine-kyivs-artillery-drops-bridges-and-isolates-a-whole-russian-army/?sh=54b2cb0c1e1a |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Wagner Group]] has made a name for itself as Putin's "private army."<ref name="economistexplains">{{Cite news |title=What is the Wagner Group, Russia's mercenary organisation? |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/07/what-is-the-wagner-group-russias-mercenary-organisation |access-date=16 March 2022 |issn=0013-0613 |quote="From a legal perspective, Wagner doesn't exist," says Sorcha MacLeod |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202144401/https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/07/what-is-the-wagner-group-russias-mercenary-organisation |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2023, Putin backed the Ministry of Defense's plan to make mercenary groups sign contracts, which Wagner leader [[Yevgeny Prigozhin]] pushed against: these contracts would have placed the Wagner Group under the Ministry's command structure as subordinates and limited Prigozhin's own influence.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Osborn |first=Andrew |date=13 June 2023 |title=Putin backs push for mercenary groups to sign contracts despite Wagner's refusal |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-backs-push-mercenary-groups-sign-contracts-despite-wagners-refusal-2023-06-13/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622143644/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-backs-push-mercenary-groups-sign-contracts-despite-wagners-refusal-2023-06-13/ |archive-date=22 June 2023}}</ref> Later in June, the Wagner Group [[Wagner Group mutiny|turned against]] the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2023 |title=Putin in crisis: Wagner chief Prigozhin declares war on Russian military leadership, says 'we will destroy everything' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-in-crisis-as-wagner-chief-prigozhin-declares-war-on-russian-military-leadership/ |access-date=24 June 2023 |website=POLITICO |language=en |archive-date=23 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623231535/https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-in-crisis-as-wagner-chief-prigozhin-declares-war-on-russian-military-leadership/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Regan |first1=Helen |last2=Raine |first2=Andrew |date=24 June 2023 |title=Russia accuses Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin of urging "armed rebellion": Live updates |language=en |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-06-24-23/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624073110/https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-06-24-23/index.html |archive-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> until a peace deal was reached. According to Prigozhin, part of the reason for his march against Russia was to stop the government from "[dismantling] PMC Wagner."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bourke|first1=Latika|title=Live updates: Putin vows to defend Russia against Wagner rebellion|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/live-updates-putin-vows-to-defend-russia-against-wagner-rebellion-20230624-p5dj6x.html|access-date=24 June 2023|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=24 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624145405/https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/live-updates-putin-vows-to-defend-russia-against-wagner-rebellion-20230624-p5dj6x.html|archive-date=24 June 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:2024 Moscow Victory Day Parade 28.jpg|thumb|Russian troops marching in the [[2024 Moscow Victory Day Parade]]]]
By July 2024, U.S. Army General [[Christopher Cavoli]], NATO [[Supreme Allied Commander Europe]] said that "[t]he Russians are very cleverly adapting technologically and procedurally to many of the challenges that they run into in Ukraine".<ref>{{cite web | title=General Cavoli notes Russia's adaptation to challenges in war against Ukraine | website=Interfax-Ukraine | date=2024-07-10 | url=https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/999380.html | ref={{sfnref | Interfax-Ukraine | 2024}} | access-date=2024-07-25 | archive-date=13 July 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713151622/https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/999380-amp.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Cavoli also said in April 2024 that the Russian military has replaced its troop and equipment losses and is larger than it was before the start of the conflict.<ref>{{cite web | title=Russian military replaced Ukraine battlefield losses 'far faster' than expected, general warns | website=POLITICO | date=2024-04-11 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/11/christopher-cavoli-russian-military-losses-00151718 | ref={{sfnref | POLITICO | 2024}} | access-date=2024-07-25 | archive-date=13 July 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713202847/https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/11/christopher-cavoli-russian-military-losses-00151718 | url-status=live }}</ref> On June 26, 2024, the [[UK]]-based [[Royal United Services Institute]] [[think tank]] reported that Russia continues to increase the production and sophistication of its main weapons and its defense industry remained highly dependent on foreign imports of critical components.<ref>{{cite web | title=A Methodology for Degrading the Arms of the Russian Federation | website=Royal United Services Institute | date=2024-06-26 | url=https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/methodology-degrading-arms-russian-federation | ref={{sfnref | Royal United Services Institute | 2024}} | access-date=2024-07-25}}</ref> The Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Colonel General [[Oleksandr Syrskyi]] said on 24 July 2024 that Russians were much better resourced now but also suffer three times higher losses than Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Harding | first1=Luke | last2=Mamo | first2=Alessio | title='I know we will win – and how': Ukraine's top general on turning the tables against Russia | website=the Guardian | date=2024-07-24 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/24/i-know-we-will-win-and-how-ukraines-top-general-on-turning-the-tables-against-russia | access-date=2024-07-25}}</ref>

According to [[NATO]] and Western military officials, approximately 1,200 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded in Ukraine every day on average in May and June 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russia Sends Waves of Troops to the Front in a Brutal Style of Fighting |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/us/politics/russia-casualties-ukraine-war.html |work=The New York Times |date=27 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine calls them meat assaults: Russia's brutal plan to take ground |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80xjne8ryxo |work=BBC News |date=4 July 2024}}</ref> In June 2024, it was estimated that approximately 2% of all Russian men aged 20 to 50 had been killed or seriously wounded in Ukraine since February 2022.<ref>{{cite Q|Q127275136|url-access=subscription}}</ref> As of October 2024, it was estimated that over 600,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded while fighting in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=In wartime Russia, some men may be worth more dead than alive, economist says |url=https://fortune.com/2024/11/16/russia-economy-military-death-payouts-vs-civilian-earnings-ukraine-war/ |work=Fortune |date=16 November 2024}}</ref> Military courts have received thousands of [[AWOL]] cases since Russia's 2022 mobilization.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Heavy Toll of Desertion From the Russian Army |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/22/magazine/desertion-russian-army-ukraine-war.html |work=The New York Times |date=22 September 2024}}</ref> [[Pro Asyl]] said in 2024 that at least 250,000 Russian conscripts had fled to other countries since February 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fleeing Ukraine war, Russian deserters find refuge in France |url=https://www.dw.com/en/fleeing-ukraine-war-russian-deserters-find-refuge-in-france/a-70665369 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=2 November 2024}}</ref>

In November 2024, [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] reported that Russia had for the first time issued a manual to soldiers instructing how to dig and maintain mass graves amid growing casualties. Russia's use of mass graves to bury its soldiers has been documented in occupied parts of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.<ref name="q183">{{cite web | last=Kilner | first=James | title=Instruction manual for digging mass graves given to Russian troops | website=The Telegraph | date=3 November 2024 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/11/03/instruction-manual-digging-mass-graves-russian-troops/ | access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>

In April 2025, [[Oleksandr Syrskyi]] stated that Russian troops in Ukraine were now 623,000, increased fivefold since the start of the invasion, and they are increasing by 8,000-9,000 soldiers each month. He also said that Russia's overall mobilization capacity is 20 million people or 5 million people with military training. However, he noted that Russia's advantage in artillery has dropped from 10 to 1 to 2 to 1, mainly because of Ukrainian strikes on Russian ammunition depots.<ref>{{cite web | last=Fornusek | first=Martin | title=Russia has capacity to mobilize 5 million trained troops, Syrskyi says | website=The Kyiv Independent | date=2025-04-09 | url=https://kyivindependent.com/russia-has-capacity-to-mobilize-5-million-trained-troops-syrskyi-says/ | access-date=2025-04-17}}</ref>