Fresh capabilities of the Russian army alarmed the American military, writes.

Russia carry out airstrikes in the Syrian Arab Republic, raises in the air strategic bombers, a time in many weeks conducts a surprise inspection of combat readiness and the U.S. are now " sounding the alarm ", stresses the magazine.

The commander of U.S. forces in the European Union General Ben Hodges informs that as of "special concern" are Russian systems that allow you to block access technologically superior enemy strategically important objects. They include, for example, air defense systems and anti-ship missiles. According to Hodges, in the case of a conflict Russia can make areas inaccessible for NATO forces - in particular, the Russian complexes "Bastion" is able to sink the ships of the Commonwealth soon after the passage of the Bosphorus.

in the last few years Russia has radically modernized its armed forces - it was the most radical military reform since the late nineteenth century, emphasizes the expert of the Center for analysis of strategies and technologies (CAST) Vasily Kashin. By 2020 land forces of the Russian army is expected to refresh 70%, and at the moment this rate is about 30%.

According to Kashin, the Russian army began, " Perhaps stronger than all the armies of the EU put Together." Along with this, he stressed, Russia still difficult to compete with the U.S. for this reason, it focuses on the forces of nuclear deterrence, modernization which is going fast.

Well armed joint air defense units and highly mobile special operations forces. Their equipment " is approaching the NATO standards ", says the expert on security issues, Professor at new York University's mark Galeotti.

"do we need NATO to accept the fact that in the East appeared equal opponent?

sections: Politics