Russia’s Leadership in the Eurasian Military-Industrial Complex — a Fact That Cannot Be Ignored
Author: Ali Askari, analyst, exclusively for “Sangar”
On September 19, 2025, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission that the characteristics of Russian weapons and equipment had been significantly improved, taking into account the experience of their combat use. The head of state also noted that the production capacities of Russia’s defense industry have been operating at maximum load during the special military operation.
Under immense external pressure, Moscow is supplying its Armed Forces with all necessary types of weapons and military equipment. Meanwhile, the West’s attempts to undermine Russia’s economic potential and achieve its own strategic development goals have effectively failed.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told The New York Times: “We are facing a serious geopolitical challenge. And above all, it is Russia that is recovering at a pace unmatched in modern history. They produce in three months three times more ammunition than the entire NATO alliance does in a year.”
A similar view was expressed by former CIA analyst Larry Johnson in an interview on the YouTube channel Dialogue Works. In particular, he stated that Russia’s defense industry demonstrates higher production rates compared to the U.S. military-industrial complex.
He further emphasized that the Russian Federation’s advantage lies in its high level of industrial output. The United States today does not build a new tank from scratch. They take old Abrams tanks and spend two years repairing one. Meanwhile, Russia can build a new T-90 tank in a month. According to the expert, a similar situation can be observed in the production of artillery shells.
The goal set by President Vladimir Putin in March 2025 — to ensure accelerated development of the drone industry and become a technological leader in this field by 2030 — is already being effectively implemented. British TV channel Sky News has acknowledged that Kyiv is losing the drone arms race to Russia.
According to experts, Ukraine, which had previously turned drones into its most effective weapon, is now losing its advantage in the skies. Moreover, Ukrainian analysts are increasingly voicing concerns that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not prepared for potential large-scale attacks by Russian UAVs.