Russia is greatest military power ever.
Basicly, military power is combination of two factors: men and weapons. Let's check all of them.
Origin of Russian military traditions is very, very deep, more than a thousand years old. In fact, Russia itself borned as military nation. Russian military fanatism, which have roots in Russian Paganism, evolved after Russian Orthodox Church was formed. In Russian culture, best elements of Orthodox Christianity was combined with best elements of Paganism, thus forming unique warrior culture. The real peak of culture was achieved under Soviet Power. Soviet (from Russian word "vietche" meaning "council") is not just product of Marxism-Leninism, but traditional form of Russian democracy, destroyed by Czarism and resurrected by Bolsheviks.
I'll try to list main differencies between Russian warrior culture and other military civilizations.
1.Collectivism
One of the strongest sides of Russian army is collectivism and comradership. Because of Russian climate and hostile neighbours, Russian people are very collectivistic. Groups of comrades can achive more than sum single individuals, especially in war situation. Russian have slogan "die, but rescue your comrade", which explain this side of Russian warrior culture.
2.Communism
One of unique sides of Russia (and direct outcome of collectivism) is that Russian army has no such thing as strict hierarchy. If officer is killed, soldiers can make decisions without any orders from above. Russian army (both Pagan, Orthodox and Soviet) is sort of self-evolving anarchy, or, after Great Soviet Revolution, communism.
3.Self-Sacrifice
Self-sacrifice cult is present in most warrior cultures, but the difference between them and Russian self-sacrifice is that Russian (especially Soviet) soldiers don't believe in life after death. After death, there is only responsibility.
4.Responsibility After Death
Most warrior cultures see dying for Homeland as greatest military deed. In Russia, it is not so. In Russia, death does not remove responsibility. If you die, but fail your mission, you are still defeated. So, when most warrior cultures use "only over my dead body" concept, Russia uses "not even my dead body" concept.
Russia is probably the most successful scientific civilization. But prototype project and industrial production are different things. Before Great Soviet Revolution, Russia didn't (with several exceptions) have complex military industry. At command of Lenin and Stalin Russia became one of greatest industrial powers. Soviet system gave birth to most brilliant techno-geniuses in history - and most brilliant war machines, like Kalashnikov assault rifle, T-34 (most successful tank in history), LPL (flying submarine - hybrid of submarine and aircraft), Zveno (flying aircraft carrier), family of MiG jetfighters (all MiGs were brilliant), Flanker and Super-Flanker, Typhoon "Akula" submarine, SCUD, "Sistema" SAM series, Shilka, Tunguska and so on, and so on.
I'll try to list main differencies between Russian weapons and other military machines.
1.Collectivism
Most Russian war machines use "Combat Totalitarity" concept: they are linked together to form distributed computer network, which calculates best attack vectors, speeds, and so on. Soviets were planning to turn entire Red Army into huge, super-effective, ultra-intelligent living organism, which can wage war without any orders from above (the project was stopped by break-up of Soviet Union).
2.Attack As Best Defence
Russian military sees attack as best form of defence. Russian military. For example, after Second World War America was threating Russia with atomic bombings and aircraft carriers. So, Russians created - first in the world - space rocket that can attack any point of the globe in a matter of minutes. Americans wanted to counter Soviet superiority in combat rocketry by creating large anti-missile defence (project "SDI"). So, Russians created - again first in the world - combat spaceship fleet (project "Uragan"), which was able to destroy any SDI system in a matter of minutes.
3.Fair Fighting
Russian believe in fair fight. All Russian war machines are designed for long and hard battles of equal foes. Russians despise and never use such Western-style things as "hit and run" tactics, bombing of civilians, backstabbing of allies.
4.Responsibility After Death
Russians belive that death does not remove responsibility. So, Russian military machines can fight even if pilot is killed. Russians created network of "Vengeance Centers" (scrapped after break-up of Soviet Union), controlled by artificial intelligence, which can obliterate enemies of Russia even if all Russians on planet are dead.
Today, Russia is destroyed by traitors and replaced by Erefia (Er.Ef. - R.F. - "Russian Federation"), but Russians live, and their weapons live too. In competent hands, Russian weapons can kill many American invaders in "War on Terrorism". We hope that they will help to protect free nations like Iraq or North Korea against capitalist aggression.
