Russia\u27s New Military Doctrine: Blueprint For a Renewed Threat

This thesis examines various aspects of Russian military and security policy as a result of the adoption of Russia\u27s military doctrine in November 1993. Tracing the development of Soviet military strategy and doctrine from the late nineteen seventies, it argues that the Russian military doctrine has more in common with its Soviet predecessors than is often recognized. Regardless of statements to the contrary by Russian officials, Russia\u27s military doctrine advocates creating and maintaining a robust military capability in order to expand Russia\u27s security and national interests. Russia has continued many conventional and nuclear military modernization programs and is embarked on an ambitious plan of influencing events in the near abroad using a variety of covert and overt means. Thus, despite the collapse of communism and the Soviet state, to dismiss Russian military intentions and capabilities as anything other than a renewed threat to Eurasian peace and stability is imprudent and short-sighted