Strategic Culture and the Russian Federation’s Engagement in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Abstract

The paper examines Russia’s strategic culture and its behaviour in Russia Ukraine conflict between February 2014 and February 2023. It identifies and examines traditional elements of Russian strategic culture, such as territorial expansionism, a tendency towards offensive military action, the perception of the use of military force as an appropriate means to achieve political goals, a paranoid threat perception - the image of the besieged fortress and distrust of the West, fear of coloured revolutions, and the idea of Russia’s greatness and pursuit of international great power status. As the article shows, traditional elements of Russian strategic culture are reflected in and explain Russian Federation’s behaviour in the Russia Ukraine conflict. This pattern confirms the continuity within Russian strategic culture, as its traditional elements are still present and define the contemporary strategic culture of the Russian Federation.