The Crimean peninsula and the rebirth of the Cold War in the 21st century. : A qualitative analysis of the Russian takeover of the Crimean peninsula following the crisis in Ukraine.

Western, post-soviet foreign policies have led to an ever increasing split between western politics and Russia. Starting with the Russian war in Georgia and culminating with the Crimean crisis 2013-2014 it has become evident that the luggage from the cold war has not quite yet stopped ruling geopolitics in the world. To provide diplomatic solutions which are acceptable to all parties, it is important to provide a coherent analysis of Russia´s motives behind conquering Crimea. Without an analysis of Russia´s view on the situation there is a risk of a situation in which the crisis might escalate and lead to further military escalation which in turn might lead to catastrophical events. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the decision making process of Russia to invade Crimea can be explained using the Rational Actor Method in analyzing Russia´s actions during the crisis and present a possible account of the decision making process behind Russia´s decision to invade Crimea. With the aid of cultural, historical and strategic perspectives alongside a theory of Russian quest for status this essay provides a thorough analysis of the Russian decision to invade the Crimean peninsula using an analytical method derived from the Rational Actor Paradigm. Conclusively, using the Rational Actor Model in an extensive analysis presents a possible decision making process of Russia´s motives and reasons behind its decision to conquer Crimea