What Defense Cuts Mean for Russia's Military

A new study shows Russia's defense budget has taken a big hit. In its annual report on global military spending, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute highlighted a 20 percent drop in Russian defense spending between 2016 and 2017. The report suggests that Russia's economic troubles have put a dent in Moscow's aspirations to continue with elevated defense spending, but the 20 percent figure does require some context to be fully understood. Russian military modernization will move forward in the coming year, but the Kremlin will increasingly need to make tough choices about what it prioritizes....