Russia’s strategic interest in post-Soviet countries

Abstract

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the influence of the Russian Federation on part of the post-Soviet countries gradually weakened, but the Russian political elite still does not want to realize the fact that the republics of the former USSR are no longer subordinate to Moscow (Alaverdov, 2020). The sphere of its strategic interests, Russia extends especially to the South Caucasus to the South Caucasus - the Black Sea-Caspian region, which has become the major attractive area of global and regional superpower rivalry in the post-Cold War era. This was significantly facilitated by the region's geopolitical location and solid energy resources (Tibold & Cillessen, 2006). Soon after the Soviet Union collapsed six documents have been adopted by the highest authorities of Russia, in which the basic principles, priority directions, goals, and objectives of the country's foreign policy have been formulated. Despite the periodic softening of the rhetoric, all documents have one invariable characteristic: all of them are focused on the importance of Russia in a new world order formation, the weakening of the position of the West, and the emergence of new dominant political and economic players in the international arena. In this case, we have to highlight that as a new state, Russia immediately showed disrespect for the territorial integrity of states and their territorial integrity. Moreover, it has tried and is still doing its best to change the security of European and Euro-Atlantic architecture and restore the principle of "spheres of influence" in its small and big neighboring states. All these have a negative impact not only on the security of the Russian Federation and its neighboring states but on European as well.

Keywords

• Conflicts
• South Caucasus
• Euro-Atlantic Integration
• Russia
• Security
• Foreign Policy

References

1. Alaverdov, E., & Demircioglu, A. (2022). From the struggle for independence to the religious conflict a case from the Chechen Republic. In M, Waseem Bari & E, Alaverdov, Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Conflicts and Their Impact on State and Social Security, (pp. 1-14). Hershey: IGI Global.
2. Alaverdov, E. (2020). The new redistribution of the South Caucasus - Russia's modern dilemma. Gori: David Agmashenebeli Georgian National Defense Academy.
3. Alaverdov, E. (2020). South Caucasus as a modern challenge for Russian Federation. Baku: Western Caspian University.
4. Alaverdov, E. (2019). Different orientations of the South Caucasus countries. Gori: David Agmashenebeli Georgian National Defense Academy.
5. Alaverdov, T. (2022). Comparative analysis of legal-socio studies of Muslim families according to Islamic family law. In M, Waseem Bari & E, Alaverdov, Regulating Human Rights, Social Security, and Social-Economic Structures in a Global Perspective, (pp. 18-32). Hershey: IGI Global.
6. Bergmann, M., Dolbaia, T., & Fenton, N. (2022). Russia’s adaptation game deciphering the Kremlin’s “Humanitarian Policy”. Center for Strategic & International Studies. https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/221214_Bergmann_Russia_AdaptationGame_1.pdf?VersionId=r_Qjlb06qfEXPvUjwTTB4yh1y_Z4DU2h
7. Chkopoia, S. (2022). The impact of globalization on the social policy development of modern democratic states. In M, Waseem Bari & E, Alaverdov, Regulating Human Rights, Social Security, and Social-Economic Structures in a Global Perspective, (pp. 180-193). Hershey: IGI Global.
8. Henze, P. (1993). Conflicts in the Caucasus. RAND. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/2009/P7830.pdf

9. International Center on Conflict and Negotiation. (2020). In search of sustaining peace: A case-study of peacebuilding in South Caucasus. https://www.gppac.net/files/2020-02/In%20Search%20for%20Sustaining%20Peace%20-%20South%20Caucasus_ICCN%20and%20GPPAC_Feb%202020%20final%20version.pdf
10. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information. (2016). Political document. Kremlin's information war against Georgia: The necessity of state policy to combat propaganda.
11. Kakachia, K., Lebanidze, B., & Dzebisashvili, S., (2020). (Open) door games: NATO-Georgia Relations and Challenges of a Sustainable Partnership. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30077.18406
12. Litvishko, O., Novoselovab, N., & Kalabekova, L. (2022). Infrastructure projects in the Black Sea-Caspian Sea Region transport, finance, geopolitics. ELSEVIER B.V.
13. Makarychev, A. (2015). Russia's policies in the South Caucasus after the crisis in Ukraine: The vulnerabilities of realism. In The South Caucasus Between integration and fragmentation. European Policy Center.
14. NEWS. (2005, April 1). Putin: Soviet collapse a 'genuine tragedy. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7632057
15. Putin, V. (2016). The foreign policy concept of the Russian Federation. Approved by the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on November 30, 2016. http://static.kremlin.ru/media/acts/files/0001201612010045.pdf
16. Pashayeva, G. (2015). Security challenges and conflict resolution efforts in the South Caucasus. In The South Caucasus between integration and fragmentation, (pp.37-45). European Policy Center.
17. Prodi, R. (2002). A wider Europe - A proximity policy as the key to stability. European Commission (EC), Speech /02/619.
18. Tibold, A., & Cillessen, V. (2006). Geo-strategy in the South Caucasus power play and energy security of states and organizations. Clingendael Institute. https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2016-02/20061100_cscp_haas.pdf
19. Tsereteli, M. (2021). Black Sea Connectivity and the South Caucasus. MEIFrontier. https://www.mei.edu/sites/default/files/2021-03/Black%20Sea%20Connectivity%20and%20SC%20FINAL%20.pdf
20. Volkhonsky, M, & Mukhanov, V. (2019). The concept of the Russian World. The variability of understanding in the context of international processes. International Analysis, 4(30), (pp.58-65).