Some Special Features of Military and Economic Activities Within the Period of COVID-19 Related Crisis

COVID-19 related crisis is a collective designation of the current stage of the global system crisis, in which COVID-19 is a catalyst and a trigger of many ongoing processes, including destructive and destabilizing ones. The impact of this pandemic on military-economic activities (MEA) is direct and indirect. On the one hand, it is hampering MEA direct functioning, including personnel supply, a decrease in solvent demand, the possibility of financing and the implementation of military-technical cooperation. On the other hand, global tensions, confrontation, psychological instability and behavioral radicalism are on the rise under the COVID-19 conditions. And this is reflected in the demand for military power, power tools as a certain kind of “safety belt” and, accordingly, for MEA products, including non-traditional ones, for “hybrid” confrontations. In addition, due to the pandemic, the role of MEA as one of the “locomotives” of the recovery from the trap of the crisis, and as a technological incubator, has increased.

Under the crisis conditions, the most important task for MEA is to increase its functional and economic efficiency. Taking into account the limited resources of MEA, in any case they should provide reliable military security of the Russian Federation (RF), so-called asymmetric deterrence. Drawing Russia into a costly arms race would be unacceptable, as it would contribute to the collapse of the country, like it has been the case with the USSR. Therefore, the issue of proper distribution of funds and resources within the framework of the entire national security complex of the RF between its foreign, military and home, socio-economic components is an acute one.

In this regard, a pressing issue is to set tough priorities in determining the key directions of development of MEA of the Russian Federation, technological and military-technical policy, and the defense sector as a whole. And that should be reflected in the planning and implementation of the state armament program, the state defense order and other measures in the field of national defense and security.