Why don't Russian troops where body armor?

Question

when ever watch the news about the war in Georgian i see Russian troops not wearing body armor and some time helmets.. why is that.

Answer 1

Actually the Russians have some very good body armor but the troops you are seeing in Georgia are primarily not Russian. This is how they play the "we don't do that game". Russian armor units attack and drive out Georgians troops from Georgian national territory then sit until the South Ossetian pare-military units show up, those are the infantry you see, and then watch/stand guard while the South Ossetians loot and burn the city; when they are asked about Russian troops doing that they say it is propaganda and they did not do that-technically they are telling the truth but they are the ones responsible for it. At first they denied even being in the area but since a news crew had film of them entering the city, driving the Georgian infantry out and then waiting for the South Ossetians to show up to do the actual burning and looting before they left it is a semantics game. The Russian Army and the Russian Peace Keepers both play that game and do so to Georgian cities and to drive Georgians out of South Ossetia; they drive the defenders off and then stand watch while the South Ossetians do as they please but the Russians are innocent of any wrong doing. Yes Russian infantry has some very good body armor, a friend still in service, says it is as good and possibly better then the US armor and is lighter and easier to move in; you just see Russian front line infantry on the television.

Answer 2

Russia doesnt spend on military like we do. We also value or soliders more.  Georgia is the size of south carolina and its army stands no chance against the much bigger russian army.  Hardly a great military victory.

Answer 3

Body armor costs money and the Russian military is almost broke.  Draftees are cheap and replaceable!

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Answer 4

You think they can afford it?  You think they care if they lose a few men?  How big do you think the Russian army is?  No, No, and HUGE.  

Answer 5

the russian military is unlike the american military in many ways.  if we ever had to take on russia one one one i fear we would lose

Answer 6

Because they don't die.  They can be shot, stabbed and nothing happens.  Body armor just adds weight to them.  

Answer 7

Because they're WINNING.

Answer 8

The heavy caliber used by Ak-47's actually defeats most vest  armor.  Most soldiers would not care to wear 30 pounds of protective gear on top of a 65 pound pack.  Let us not forget the primary enemy is snipers anyways.  Helmets are also bad bullet stoppers, they are a practice that comes from World War I which is to protect the head from artillery bombardment (shrapnel).  

Answer 9

Because Russia isn't run by soccer moms.

Answer 10

Apparently they don't need it, since they just mopped the floor with Georgia.

Answer 11

and how about those ww2 headsets instead of helmets?

Answer 12

Did you know the US Marines didn't have the gear they use now when they first landed in Iraq? and during the Desert Storm the Marines were in green camouflage and in black boots..It was not until all of their gear arrrived that they got issued desert colored gear..and yes they had shrapnel vest but no armor like they wear today..

With the Russians its different..They cant afford armor for their bodies and they have not had any need for it in the passed 10 years..If they kept fighting as they are now I think they would see that they might need it..and in real warfare as such you only need a vest and not the entire body armor

Answer 13

Why gold plate a single replaceable cog in the massive communist machine?