Reassessing Russias Security Policy

This book provides a detailed analysis of the evolution of Russias security policy. Based on extensive original research, including an analysis of official documents, political and military elite speeches, interviews, and reports, and considering the subject from the early 20th century onward, the book evaluates how far Russias security policy is underpinned by "strategic asymmetry"--the acceptance by Russia of its inferior military position, and the pursuit of its strategic aims through the application of a variety of methods, military and non-military, including the manipulation of public opinion, the use of economic leverage, and external security approaches--known as Russias "hybrid war operations"--to gain the advantage over a militarily and economically superior adversary. The book discusses how Russias security policy has been and is being applied in specific cases, including the present war in Ukraine, the Russian anti-satellite program, and Russias contemporary Afghan policy. The aim of the book is to explain how and why Russia uses different security strategies and methods using these three cases.