The Sources of Russian Aggression: Is Russia a Realist Power?

Moscow uses military force and balancing behavior to protect its interests, but seeks to preserve or return to the status quo when threats subside. Russian aggression is focused on geopolitical balance and has narrow strategic aims, making it a reactive power with limited regional aims. This has future policy relevance for European/British and American security as the U.S. grows increasingly isolationist and the NATO/EU rift widens.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2024
Publisher: Lexington Books

Moscow's approach to military force and balancing behavior is guided by its interests, seeking to preserve or restore the status quo when threats subside. It exhibits a security-maximizing mindset rather than a power-maximizing one. The Sources of Russian Aggression: Is Russia a Realist Power? employs a qualitative research design and case study method, drawing on secondary literature, military sources, and observed news. The evidence suggests that Russia balances against perceived threats and uses force proportionally to strategic and material losses. When the perceived threat subsides, Russia behaves like a status quo power. Maitra's analysis highlights that Russian military aggression is focused on geopolitical balance and has narrow strategic aims, indicating a lack of expansionist or occupying ambitions. Russia's reactive nature and limited regional aims make it incompatible with aspirations of continental hegemony. These findings have significant policy implications for European, British, and American security as the U.S. becomes increasingly isolationist and the rift between NATO and the EU widens.

Weight: 535g
Dimension: 236 x 158 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666935844