Russia withdraws army bases in Cuba and Vietnam

The world is arming in front of the threat of the international terrorism, but Russia is disarming. Vladimir Putin announced about the withdrawal of the Russian military contingent from Lourdes in Cuba and from Vietnam. It costs the Russian treasury about $200 million to maintain the Cuban base and $2 billion for 10 years of lease for the base in Vietnam. The saved money is going to be used for modernization of the armed forces. It does not add much optimism though.

Russia is quickly losing its influence in the world and the pullout of the Russian army bases is another proof of that. The base in Cuba allowed the USSR and then Russia to adequately react to the American initiatives, the Vietnamese base was a strategically important point on the way from the Indian to the Pacific ocean and allowed to keep an eye on the entire Asia-Pacific region. Now Russia has neither money nor energy for that, although there are ambitions left. One has to accept that Russia is being ousted from the world politics. The status of a super-power for Russia is alike the big crown for a small head.