All eyes turn to Russia, Ukraine military capacities

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW (AA) – After Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, the world has turned its eyes to the two countries' military capacities.

While military analysts agree that the Ukrainian army is stronger and better prepared than it was in 2014, the breadth of Russian military inventory is noteworthy.

Anadolu Agency obtained data from the Global Firepower Organization (GFP), which produces analytical databases on the military forces of the world's countries, as well as open sources in Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine's military expenditures as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 4.1% in 2021, with $5.9 billion. While Russia's army expenditures as a percentage of GDP in 2021 were 4.3%, totaling $61.7 billion.

- Russia air, land forces' superiority

The Russian army has 850,000 active military personnel, 250,000 reservist officers, and 200,000 paramilitary forces, whereas the Ukrainian army has 250,000 active military personnel, 250,000 reservist security personnel, and 50,000 paramilitary forces.

Russia has an advantage over Ukraine in terms of land forces, with 12,420 tanks, 30,122 armored vehicles, 6,574 self-propelled artillery, 7,571 towed artillery, and 3,391 mobile rocket launchers. Ukraine has a total of 2,596 tanks and 12,303 armored vehicles.

Russia's air force consists of 772 combat aircraft, 739 attack aircraft, and over 2,000 helicopters, while Ukraine's air force comprises 69 combat aircraft, 29 attack aircraft, and approximately 60 helicopters.

Russia also has superiority in naval forces by having an aircraft carrier, 15 destroyers, 70 submarines, and 11 frigates. Ukraine only has one frigate and no submarines or destroyers.

Russian officials also highlighted the number of nuclear warheads. It is estimated that there are 4,490 warheads in the Russian nuclear arsenal, of which 1,600 will be deployed on ballistic missiles and strategic bombers.

On Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in the Donbas region after weeks of amassing troops on Ukraine's borders.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry announced that Russia's "invasion has begun" with missile strikes on the capital Kyiv.

In the wake of Russian strikes, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law in the country.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar in Ankara