Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that he is determined to resuscitate Russia’s military power and make the nation the world’s leading producer of military aircraft. The president made his remarks at the opening ceremony of the maks-2007 international air show, the largest in Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

“Russia has a very important goal which is to retain leadership in the production of military equipment,” Putin told the crowd. Additionally, presidential aides hinted that “Russia could shortly resume the production of Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers, now that the aircraft are again flying ‘combat missions’” (Guardian, August 22). According to presidential aide Alexander Burutin, the nuclear-equipped bombers would be used as a “means of strategic deterrence” against the West.

As an independent news story, Putin’s announcement may not appear striking. But consider the geopolitical backdrop of this announcement. Relations between Russia and the West are tense, and seem to be growing more stressed with every passing week. “Mr. Putin has denounced the U.S.’s missile defense plans in Europe, scrapped an agreement with nato on conventional armed forces, and grabbed a large, if symbolic, chunk of the Arctic” (ibid.).

Then consider what’s occurring inside Russia behind the very public international stage on which Putin prances. The Russian government is investing tens of millions of dollars in upgrading and enhancing its military, including developing its su-34 “Fullback” fighter-bomber; developing a new fifth-generation fighter jet, the Sukhoi T-50; expanding it naval carrier fleet with six new nuclear-powered aircraft carriers; and adding eight ballistic missile submarines.

Last Friday, Russia finished hosting and participating in military exercises organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—war games that were the largest in the history of the sco. The same day, 14 Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers took to the air from seven airfields across Russia for sorties over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.

Combine Putin’s announcement that he wants to make Russia the largest manufacturer of military aircraft in the world with all these events, and the broader story beaming from Russia is obvious. The Russian president is actively and aggressively working to make Russia a powerful counter to Western dominance and, if all goes well, a dominant unilateral superpower.

While the United States may be concerned by Russia’s growing global clout, there is another conglomerate of nations that is becoming especially alarmed by the ambitious and confrontational antics of Vladimir Putin. Watch Germany and the nations of Europe; it’s highly likely that Russia’s mounting power and belligerence will prove an ideal trigger for the further integration and expansion in power of a German-led European empire.