Russia has been displaying its military might lately, with war games and weapons shows. Even though his country is the midst of a recession, President Vladimir Putin is pushing ahead with a costly plan to modernize the military.
Top U.S. and NATO officials have identified Russia's war-making potential as a greater threat than Islamist terrorism, but is the hype justified?
There's a quote that's often attributed to Winston Churchill: "Russia is never as strong as you fear or as weak as you hope."
Russia showcased some of its strengths at a big exposition this summer.