Facing Coming Storms #25: Russia and China’s militaries – similarities and differences
Episode description: How do Russia’s and China’s militaries align and differ in today’s world? In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Mark Cozad – a RAND Corporation senior defence researcher and former US Air Force intelligence officer – joins Peter Apps to explore how NATO’s 1999 Kosovo campaign pushed both nations toward “non-contact warfare,” mixing precision strikes with political strategy to counter the West. Russia leans on mass mobilisation, as seen in Ukraine, while China bets on cutting-edge tech and institutional strength.
We dive into the human and strategic factors – Russia’s purges and cultural shifts versus China’s lack of combat experience since 1979 – plus nuclear posturing, alliances and flashpoints like Taiwan or Korea.
About the podcast: Facing Coming Storms is the new international defence podcast from the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research and the Project for the Study of the 21st Century. From confrontation to conflict, join us each Monday for insightful discussions, conversations and expert analysis. Facing Coming Storms is produced by Urban Podcasts.
