Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Rong
Russia is undoubtedly one of the most important players in the international political and military arena in 2016. Under the multiple unfavorable circumstances of poor domestic economy, persistent western sanctions and NATO’s military squeeze, Russia did not retreat but advanced, took the offensive as the defense, flexibly used its military power, and launched a fierce game with the United States and Europe in Europe and the Middle East, which improved its strategic environment to a certain extent.
Strategic breakthrough in circuitous Middle East
Russia put its main strategic breakthrough in Syria. In the autumn of 2015, Russia made a high-profile intervention in the Syrian war and gradually became a major participant in the Syrian war. In 2016, Russia invested more military forces, continued to send combat aircraft to Syria, deployed advanced air defense missile systems, and sent aircraft carrier combat formations to the Mediterranean, which greatly strengthened the air and sea strike force in Syria and helped the Bashar government to crack down on the Syrian opposition armed forces and extremist organization "Islamic State".
Russia’s unexpected military attack in Syria helped the Syrian government forces win the initiative on the battlefield. Before the end of this year, the Syrian government forces regained control of Aleppo, a strategic town long occupied by anti-government forces. The transfer of the dominance of the Syrian battlefield to the hands of the Russian and Bashar governments has greatly weakened the influence of the United States in leading the situation in Syria and the Middle East, while Russia’s voice and influence in the Middle East have greatly improved.
The symbolic significance of Russia’s strong involvement in the Syrian war is that it is the first time that Russia has deployed its military forces outside the former Soviet Union after the end of the Cold War. This strategic adjustment has opened up a new battlefield for the military and political game between Russia and the West.
Another significance lies in that Russia has keenly captured fighter planes, grasped the situation in Syria, gained Russian military strategic interests in the Middle East and the Mediterranean through limited military intervention, and countered the pressure exerted by the United States and Europe on Russia on the Ukrainian issue.
Against NATO, tit for tat
In the direction of Europe, the wrestling between Russia and NATO countries such as the United States became more intense in 2016. The conventional military forces of NATO countries are advancing near the western border of Russia, and they are also actively promoting the deployment of missile defense systems in Romania and Poland. In this regard, Russia did not show weakness, and tit for tat announced the formation of three divisions in the west, the deployment of S-400 air defense missile system and "iskander-M" missile in Kaliningrad, an enclave bordering Poland and Lithuania, and the deployment of "redoubt" shore-based anti-ship system and other weapons and equipment in the Baltic Fleet.
Russia’s new military deployment in Europe has formed a combination of land, air and coastal defense, which has turned the airspace around Russia, such as Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic countries, into a de facto "no-fly zone" and at the same time deterred the core areas of Europe and the US military bases in Europe.
The tough confrontation between Russia and NATO in Europe has caused observers to exclaim and warn of the "new cold war" from time to time. But on the other hand, there are differences and cracks in Europe on how to deal with Russia.
Strategic game for initiative
In the Far East Pacific, Russia is also strengthening its military deployment, including setting up a heavy bomber aviation division in the Far East and studying the deployment of a Pacific fleet base in the South Kuril Islands. Russia also decided to deploy a shore-based anti-ship missile system and a shore-based anti-ship missile system on the island after the country and the island of Chosun in the South Kuril Islands (called the four northern islands in Japan) to strengthen the overall defense capability of the Kuril Islands. Analysts pointed out that this is not only to meet the needs of the United States to increase its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, but also to guard against Japanese and put in order armaments.
In the direction of South Asia and Southeast Asia, Russia continues to maintain its strategic presence by deepening cooperation with India, Vietnam and other countries in the military and security fields.
The adjustment of Russia’s military strategy this year and its demonstrated actual combat capability have made western countries see Russia’s determination and strength to safeguard its own security strategic interests, and also made some political leaders in Europe and America realize the importance of dialogue with Russia. After winning the US presidential election, Trump showed his willingness to ease Russia-US relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his willingness to improve relations with the United States and Europe in his latest State of the Union address.
Whether and to what extent Russia-US relations can be improved in the new year needs further observation. Undoubtedly, the adjustment and evolution of Russia’s military strategy will profoundly affect the development of relations between Russia and western countries, and will also have an important impact on the changes and reshaping of the international structure in the future.
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