Policing the near abroad : Russian foreign policy in the South Caucasus

This article tries to understand Russia’s policies towards the South Caucasus
and answer the question of whether there is a tension between Russia’s
interests and policies. An attempt is made to identify Russia’s strategic
interests in the region and the crucial factors that shape Russian policies.
Based on the assumption that today’s Russia gives de facto support to the
secessionist regimes in Georgia, the author attempts to explain what the
Kremlin’s motives are in supporting the secessionist regimes. The author
investigates whether Russian support for the separatist regimes in the South
Caucasus is a reaction to the foreign policy orientation of the parent states
or a part of Russia’s security political interests. On the one hand, supporting
instability in the South Caucasus cannot be a part of the Kremlin’s strategic
interests, because that can pose a threat to the North Caucasus. On the other
hand, however, Russian policies are not designed to achieve long-term
stability in the South Caucasus, and controlled instability seems to suit the
Kremlin. Why Russia vies for coercive hegemony and supports secessionism
are the central questions of this article.