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Quo Vadis, Russian Deterrence? Strategic Culture and Coercion Innovations

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A military patrol passes by a street exhibition of military posters named 'Together to Victory' dedicated to Russian army in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.
A military patrol passes by a street exhibition of military posters named 'Together to Victory' dedicated to Russian army in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.

This article traces the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War on the evolution of the Russian approach to coercion strategy. It offers a framework for examining the strategy of coercion and military innovation outside the Western intellectual tradition. Building on evidence from Russian primary sources and Russian strategic culture, it hypothesizes about the major trends in Russian deterrence strategy. One finding is that Russia’s main priorities include developing a coercion strategy for a non-nuclear near-peer competitor.

Recommended citation

Dmitry (Dima) Adamsky, "Quo Vadis, Russian Deterrence? Strategic Culture and Coercion Innovations," International Security, Vol. 49, No. 3 (Winter 2024/25), pp. 50–83, https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00502.

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Author

Dmitry (Dima) Adamsky