1) Russia doesn't have a lot of options as far as exports go. The big cash cows are oil, gas and weapons (the latter mainly to India and China, but also to Iran and, it looks likely, Sukhoi fighter-bombers to South Korea. I think Indonesia was talking about a deal, but I may be in error -- writing from memory. India and Russia also recently signed a deal to co-develop a fighter plane.). I would guess Putin is hoping to establish a dependence that will pay off after oil prices rise again. Of course, the oligarchs who mostly run the oil companies have their own agendas that may coincide more or less with those of the state.
2) Russia does manufacture high-tech weaponry, but it is in the curious position of doing so primarily for export, not for its own military. Export is what keeps the military-industrial complex going. The Russian Army spends 40% of its budget just on maintenance and upkeep of soldiers.
The Kuznetsov I don't know about. I'll look around.
Chris Doss The Russia Journal ---------------------------
It's pretty clear that Putin's plan for revitalizing Russia and making it into a great power again -- and make no mistake about it, this certainly seems to be his goal -- mainly involves increasing its economic strength and ability to influence others economically, not militarily. He appears to be trying to get the West hooked on Russian oil.
- -But with this policy oil prices are declining, and thus revenues Russia - -gets from oil. Is it a wise policy???
That said, the Russian army is equipped with (poorly maintained) Soviet weaponry, which is nothing to sneeze at. My impression is that Western commentators tend to exaggerate the decrepitude of Russian technology, like they do with so many other things about Russia. A lot was made of the sinking of the Kursk, but the fact remains that the class of subs to which it belongs is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. Hell, Mir, which was so pooh-poohed in its final years by Western media, was only supposed to be in orbit for two years, and instead stayed up there for 15.
- -Soviet military technology is still one of the best of the world, but... 1-It is becoming obsolete as Russia doesn?t have the resources to upgrade it 2-To keep USSR era equipment in good shape is costly and Russia also needs to buy new pieces of equipment too. I?ve already read that Russia has only 12 intercontinental range Tu-160 bombers (this plane is as good as the B-1B, but it?s needed in larger numbers). Btw: What did happen with the Russian Carrier Kuznetzov??? If it was sold or scrapped then Russia doesn?t have any fixed wing carrier based aviation.
Alexandre Fenelon