Most of the attention on Russia's ambitious plans to overhaul its armed forces has focused on questions of procurement—what new systems and capabilities the military has on its wish list. Russian president Vladimir Putin recently reaffirmed his commitment to the ambitious modernization program that he has put into place since returning to the presidency in 2012. However, the expected slowdown of the Russian economy (partly due to Western sanctions, partly due to a nearly 30 percent decline in the price of oil since the summer) will force the Kremlin to spend its defense rubles more wisely.
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