Most world countries remain Russia’s military allies and partners, Russian President Vladimir Putin said addressing the defense ministry board meeting in Moscow on December 16.
“[W]e need to continue to further expand military and military-technical cooperation with allies and partners who are ready and willing to work with us, which includes most countries around the world.”
That is false.
Moscow’s formal alliances are limited to five ex-USSR states-members of Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, that include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Beyond CSTO, Moscow is engaged in transactional military partnerships with China, Iran, India, and North Korea. By comparison, NATO has 32 members.
Additionally, Russia is dealing with a broad spectrum of international sanctions intended to weaken its military industrial capabilities and aimed at forcing the Kremlin to halt the war in Ukraine. Declining arms exports, international isolation, and the constraints of ongoing wars in Ukraine and Syria further undermine Putin’s claims of extensive global influence.
Instead of representing a majority, Russia’s military relationships reflect a concentrated and declining sphere of influence, shaped by pragmatic and often transactional ties.
Russia’s strategic partnerships are important in their own right, but they represent only a small portion of the global community. They include China, India, Iran, North Korea, and Syria [until the December 8 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime].
Russia and China have fostered a close strategic relationship, particularly in defense and technology. However, this partnership does not constitute a formal military alliance. Both nations have cooperated on military exercises and arms deals but maintain independent geopolitical goals.
Historically a significant buyer of Russian arms, India’s reliance on Russia has decreased in recent years as it diversifies its defense procurement to include the United States, France, and Israel. While India remains a key partner, its broader geopolitical stance remains non-aligned.
Under Putin, Russia has strengthened military ties with Iran, particularly in regard to drones and missile systems. This relationship has grown amid shared opposition to Western policies but lacks the scope of a formalized alliance.
Since September 2023, North Korea has supplied Russia with up to 5 million artillery shells, exceeding Russia’s annual production. Russia also has deployed North Korean KN-23/24 missiles, though with high failure rates. In June, they signed a strategic partnership, and in October, 10,000 North Korean troops were sent to Russia to train and fight against Ukraine.
Russia supported Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria since 2011, providing political backing and military aid. From September 2015 to December 2024, Russia’s direct military involvement bolstered Assad’s position. Following Assad’s overthrow in December, however, this alliance dissolved. Estimates of Russia’s financial support for the Assad regime vary from more than $20 billion to $27.5 billion over nine years.
On the South American and African continents, Russia’s partnerships are limited to a few nations, such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. These relationships are exceptions rather than the norm in the regions largely influenced by Western powers.
Russia has leveraged arms sales and private military contractors such as the Wagner Group to maintain influence in parts of Africa. These engagements are primarily transactional, though, and they lack the depth of formal alliances.
In the Asia-Pacific region, apart from India and China, Russia’s military partnerships are minimal. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia remain aligned with the United States and its allies.
Russia’s arms exports dropped by 53% between 2014–18 and 2019–23, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
In 2019, Russia exported arms to 31 countries, but by 2023, this number dwindled to just 12.
In 2019–23, 68% of the total Russian arms exports went to Asia and Oceania. India and China dominated as recipients, accounting for 34% and 21%, respectively. This trend demonstrates that Russia’s influence is concentrated in a few key markets and highlights its reduced global reach in defense trade.
Furthermore, competition from other major arms exporters, such as the United States and France, combined with the impact of sanctions and logistical challenges, has significantly curtailed Russia’s ability to expand its arms trade.
The current geopolitical landscape further disproves Putin’s claim. The United Nations comprises 193 member states. Most of these nations are not aligned with Russia militarily or engaged in terms of military-technical cooperation. In contrast, many are either neutral or part of Western alliances, such as NATO and the European Union, which directly oppose Russian policies.
