After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian security agencies had to deal with deep economic, cultural, and political hardships. Although the military and the police were dragged into public affairs by their civilian leaders, these agencies themselves did not attempt to overthrow the government. The military, socialized in the communist ideology, kept fulfilling its main duties, albeit the communist state they swore to protect had not existed anymore. At the same time, the military had been largely incapable of adjusting itself to contemporary military and political needs for almost 20 years after the fall of the USSR. This research traces the role of military and civilian coalitions in the formation and development of Russian defense reforms.