Russia's military policy in the post-Soviet space: aims, instruments and perspectives

Forschungsbericht | Research report

Since the Russo-Georgian war and the start of military reform in 2008, the importance of military means in Russia’s foreign policy toolbox has in­creased. This is especially true of the post-Soviet space, where Moscow’s vital security interests and regional ambitions converge. Russia is pursuing three goals here: it wants to ward off threats, secure its supremacy over the region and limit the room for manoeuvre of external actors, such as the US, NATO or China. In doing so, it is guided by a three-level approach which consists of strengthening unilateral power projection capabilities and expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The balance of Russian military policy in the post-Soviet space is mixed. It is true that, today, Russia’s significantly modernised armed forces can cover a broad spectrum of operations and exert political pressure through a show of force. On the other hand, Moscow’s attempt to establish one-sided de­pend­encies through military cooperation has proven to be only partially achiev­able. As in the political and economic spheres, it is also evident in the mili­tary sphere that Russia’s desire for a zone of influence clashes with the reality of an increasingly differentiated area. The intervention in Ukraine intensified this trend, as even hitherto close allies of Russia in the CSTO mili­tary alliance now show more scepticism in their cooperation with their large neighbour. (author's abstract)

Object Details

• Alternative title: Russlands Militärpolitik im postsowjetischen Raum: Ziele, Instrumente und Perspektiven
• ISSN: 1863-1053
• Extent: Seite(n): 40
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: SWP Research Paper (1/2019)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Politikwissenschaft ; Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, Sicherheitspolitik ; Russland ; Militärpolitik ; Sicherheitspolitik ; UdSSR-Nachfolgestaat ; Hegemonie ; internationale Zusammenarbeit ; Multilateralität ; bilaterale Beziehungen ; kollektive Sicherheit ; Verteidigungspolitik

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Klein, Margarete
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik -SWP- Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit
• (where): Deutschland, Berlin
• (when): 2019

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.18449/2019RP01
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-61509-5
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST