[clearcarbon]

" The world now knows that their conventional forces are not the juggernaut that was once so feared and respected."

That's not good for Russian arms sales nor is it good for Russia to look weak to China. To Russia, China must be looking uglier every day with its continuing theft of American technology as well as it's build up of modern arms and advancement into space.

[allendale]

The greatest long term strategic threat to Russia has never been Europe, Ukraine or the United States. It has always been China. China with its teeming population, limited resources and propensity for famine has always looked at the underpopulated, rich Russian far eastern, Pacific lands and the unexploited treasure house of Siberia and have coveted them. Serious Russian military and security people realize that if the circumstances were right, an existential war with China, despite nuclear shields, is far more likely than war with the West. These military and security people, as well as the Chinese, now realize that Russia is far less capable of defending these territories than previously thought.