November26, 2006: Russia will increase military procurement by 23.2 percent, to $11.28 billion, in 2007. About half of this is going to big ticket items, like ICBMs, nuclear subs and warplanes. Next year, the United States plans to spend some $70 billion on procurement. Russia's defense budget is less than a tenth of what the United States spends. Russia had begun a disarmament program in the 1950s, but a "revolt" by the generals in 1964, led to the overthrow of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. This absurd operation was kicked off when corrupt politicians made a deal with the military leadership, to help overthrow Khrushchev. The politicians basically promised the generals and admirals a blank check, as long as the military stayed out of politics, and let the politicians enjoy themselves. Everyone had a grand time until, two decades later, it was noted that, diverting all the money to military spending, and not replacing civilian factories or infrastructure, had left the country an economic basket case. Saner, and less corrupt, leadership took over, but it was too late. The Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, and Russia (which was now had about half the population of the old Soviet Union) began to rebuild its economy. While doing this, the military budget was slashed over 80 percent, and is only now recovering.