What the North Caucasus Means to Russia
The crisis in the North Caucasus has had a negative impact across all of Russia.
Its immediate consequences include instability in the country's southern regions, interethnic tensions and terrorist attacks that regularly occur not only in the Caucasus region, but across Russia, including Moscow. In addition, the Russian government's inability to find a political solution to the crisis in the North Caucasus is becoming apparent, undermining the country's authority in the international arena. In particular, it raises doubt over the ability of the Russian authorities to ensure security leading up to and during the Olympic Games in Sochi.
Download the full analysis
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
What the North Caucasus Means to Russia
Related centers and programs
Discover our other research centers and programsFind out more
Discover all our analysesRussia's Asia Strategy: Bolstering the Eagle's Eastern Wing
Among Russia’s strategic priorities, Asia traditionally played a secondary role compared to the West. In the mid-1990s, then Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov initiated a rapprochement with China and India. Then, in 2014, deteriorating relations between Russia and the West prompted Moscow to begin its “great pivot to the East”.
Kazakhstan After the Double Shock of 2022: Political, Economic and Military Consequences
The year 2022 represented a dual shock for Kazakhstan. In January, the country faced its most severe political crisis since independence, followed in February by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which cast uncertainty over the borders of post-Soviet states. These consecutive crises profoundly shaped Kazakhstan’s domestic and foreign policy.
How the Russian Army Changed its Concept of War, 1993-2022
The traditional and high-intensity war that has occurred in Ukraine since Russia decided to invade raises a key issue: did post-soviet Russian strategic thought really prepare Russia for waging this war?
Russia's Nuclear Deterrence Put to the Test by the War in Ukraine
From the outset of its “special military operation” (SVO) against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia, which possesses one of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, has adopted aggressive deterrence measures and a resolutely menacing rhetorical stance.