Russia's Leaner Fighting Force

By the end of 1998, Russia had cut back on its military strength by almost one-third, to its smallest level since before World War II. It's not some arms control agreement that's driving Russia's reduction in force, it's the grocery bill. CBS News Correspondent David Hawkins reports.

It's part of what the Kremlin calls military reform, making Russia's huge Soviet-era armed forces smaller, less expensive, and certainly leaner.

Russia can't afford to feed all of its soldiers and sailors, so cutting troop strength by half a million means half a million fewer mouths to feed. Recruits at the special forces base in Sofrino near Moscow get porridge and bread for lunch and consider themselves lucky.

"A lot of these kids are malnourished when they get here," says their lieutenant.

In the navy, things are just as bad. Sailors in Sevastopol have been forced ashore, as there is no electricity, heat, or water aboard ship.

Sailors cooking on an outside stove. (CBS)

Air force pilots are grounded, and there is no gas money for training flights. One bright spot -- if you can call it that -- is that Russia's new single warhead ballistic missiles, the SS-27, was added to the nuclear arsenal last month.

It's now considered the backbone of the nation's defense. For the United States and the rest of the world, seeing a former superpower cut down in size would seem like a good thing. But if fewer men in the trenches means a greater dependence on nuclear weapons, that's not exactly cause for comfort.

Reported By David Hawkins