Z. Barany, Democratic Breakdown and the Decline of the Russian Military, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007, 247 pages.

The dilemmas created by the abrupt collapse of the Soviet military in 1991 and the inefficient defense reforms that followed in post-Soviet Russia have been analyzed from various perspectives. In his book on the decline of the Russian military, Zoltan Barany puts forth two explanations. First, the author argues that the Russian military became increasingly politicized, with a small group of generals influencing important issues in the defense sector. Second, centralization of presidential pow...