The 'Russian steamroller' originally described masses of Russian troops attacking on the Eastern Front during the First World War. Its later application to Soviet tank tactics in the Second World War, as well as the Soviet military build-up during the Cold War that created overwhelming tank divisions in central Europe to confront NATO, cemented the impression that this was Moscow's set conflict style. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the new Russian state remained a nuclear-armed superpower but lacked the money and personnel to sustain a Soviet level of military force. When President Vladimir Putin came to power at the turn of the century and launched a drive to rebuild the Russian armed forces, many Western observers assumed Russia's military leaders would return to building up forces to outnumber potential opponents. This impression was bolstered as Putin enhanced the prestige of the Victory Day parades in Moscow every May, increasing the number of tanks and pieces of military hardware on display. Some concluded a re- run of the Cold War arms race was underway.
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