Russia

OVERVIEW

The ground forces are the largest component of the Russian military and form the core of the combined-arms structures that are the basic building blocks of Russian conventional warfare. Their principal components are motorized rifle troops, tank troops, air defense troops and missile and artillery troops.

Each of these elements has its own chief. The airborne troops (Vozdushno-Desantnye Voiska -- VDV) are administered by the ground forces but have a large degree of...