Russia Military - 2006

Military branches:
Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches

Military service age and obligation:
Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; length of compulsory military service is two years; plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year by 2008; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts; at the end of 2005, the Army had 40 all-volunteer permanent-readiness units, with another 20 permanent-readiness units to be formed in 2006; 88 Ministry of Defense units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-volunteer by end 2007; these include most air force, naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special forces detachments (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 35,247,049
females age 18-49: 35,986,426 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 21,049,651
females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,286,069
females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA