Recently discovered oil deposits in Russia have allowed them to funnel millions into the revival of the Russian military. They are simply "flexing their muscles" for the rest of the world to see. In the last 6 months they have flown Tu-95s over military bases in Guam and England.
Well whether it was a systems failure or a structural one, it still will not look good to the people who decide on the military budget. If we aren't careful, someday we may have F/A-18s in the Air Force.
*shudders at the thought*