"The West underestimated Russia, its desire to fight and certainly wasn't ready for this," Fei said, according to Global Times.
Between October 26 and 27 the Russian Air Force conducted over 90 airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria. This has led Western experts to reconsider whether present-day Russia is the same country they thought they knew in the past.
The United States and its allies always thought that they were the leaders of the world when it came to fighting terrorism, but now Russia's certainly proved them wrong, the Chinese expert said.
Although the Russian military might not be as strong as the Soviet Red Army, its overall fire power, experience and equipment match the country's super power status.
Furthermore, the Russians have a special mentality: the harder it gets, the stronger they become. Russia might be facing tough economic times, but history has shown time and again that hard times have often become a driving force behind Russia's rapid development. Time and time again, Moscow's enemies have paid a high price for underestimating the power of the Russian people, their indomitable spirit and ability to overcome adversity against all odds, the Chinese political scientist underscored.
