Why Vietnam Can’t Fully Trust Russia?

Vietnam can’t fully trust Russia. It may sound wrong… but look at 1979.

China has influence through trade, supply chains, and geography.
Its interests are tightly tied to Vietnam’s stability.

But Russia controls something else: weapons.
Most of Vietnam’s military equipment comes from Russia, creating a dependency that is extremely difficult to replace.
If Russia were to change its position, Vietnam’s ability to fight could be seriously weakened.

In 1978, Vietnam signed a treaty allowing the Soviet Union to station forces at Cam Ranh Bay.
But in 1979, when the China-Vietnam War broke out, despite being an ally, the Soviet Union did not send troops to defend Vietnam.

China may apply pressure, but it cannot walk away from Vietnam, because its interests are deeply tied to this region.
Russia, on the other hand, is far away. It does not need Vietnam to develop.
It only needs Vietnam to remain within its system.

Is Russia truly a reliable partner or is it simply keeping Vietnam in a long-term dependency?