re: well, it's probably time to assign blame over Soviet breakup isn't it?

another reason for Russia to invade Ukraine

quote:

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Russia faces a particularly ironic dilemma, however, in its calculations over whether to intervene militarily in eastern Ukraine. Though Ukraine's military is generally considered inferior to Russia's forces, Ukraine has a key point of leverage: Its industry provides many of the parts that the Russian military needs to operate.

Moscow correspondent Fred Weir reports for The Christian Science Monitor that should Ukraine cut Russia off from this supply line, it would cause "serious damage to Russia's military capacity."

According to a 2009 survey by Kiev's Razumkov Center, Ukrainian factories produce the engines that power most Russian combat helicopters; about half of the air-to-air missiles deployed on Russian fighter planes; and a range of engines used by Russian aircraft and naval vessels. The state-owned Antonov plant in Kiev makes a famous range of transport aircraft, including the modern AN-70. The Russian Air Force was to receive 60 of the sleek new short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, which now it may have to do without.

Valentin Badrak, director of the Center of Army Studies in Kiev, says that even Russia's new Ilyushin Il-476 transport aircraft, which is built in the central Russian city of Ulyanovsk, cannot be produced without Ukrainian parts. He says Russia will be hurt by a cutoff of cooperation in "several spheres.... In Ukraine we have about two dozen companies that had projects with Russia important to Russia's security and defense."

The SS-18 'Satan' multiple-warhead intercontinental ballistic missile, all of which were produced in Soviet times at the giant Yuzhmash works in Dnipropetrovsk, are the mainstay of Russia's strategic missile forces. Russia still relies on Ukrainian expertise to keep them in working order. However, the Razumkov report notes that Russia's next generation of strategic missiles, including the mobile Topol-M, are entirely produced in Russia.

Mr. Weir also notes that Ukrainian industries and government are privy to some of Russia's missile technology secrets, which the Kremlin apparently is worried they might try to sell. The Kremlin issued a statement earlier this week claiming that Ukrainian missile manufacturer Yuzhmash was meeting with foreign nations about missile sales.

"We trust that despite the complicated foreign policy situation in Ukraine and the lack of legitimate supreme authorities, the current leaders of the country will be responsible, will fully comply with their obligation" to uphold legal requirements not to proliferate its missile technology, the statement said.

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LINK

So... Russia's military is dependant upon Ukraine parts and knowledge.