20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World

3. Russia

GDP (2023): $1.86 trillion

Defense Spending (2023): $109.5 billion

Active Manpower: 1,320,000

Tanks: 14,777

Armored Fighting Vehicles: 161,382

Self-propelled Artillery: 6,208

Towed Artillery: 8,356

Rocket Projectors: 3,065

Attack Helicopters: 559

Nuclear Weapons: 6,255

Technological Capabilities Rank: 59

Weighted Ranking: 5.30

Despite its reputation taking a hit in Ukraine, Russia is amongst the countries with the strongest armies in the world. The country spent over $109 billion last year to aid its war in Ukraine. The Russian army is equipped with the largest nuclear arsenal, the largest fleet of battle tanks, and the second-largest fleet of attack helicopters in the world. However, critics argue that most Russian equipment is old and outdated, and therefore not as effective as it once used to be.