Regional Peacekeepers: The Paradox of Russian Peacekeeping

In the 1990s, while the Soviet Union disintegrated, the Russian Federation continued to maintain the USSR's longstanding obligations and strategic interests. Although no longer lawfully constituted to intervene directly in the conflicts that erupted in Georgia, Moldova, and Tajikistan, Russian forces nevertheless influenced the conduct of the disputes and, more overtly, the peace process that followed. Regional Peacekeepers investigates the Russian military presence in its former Soviet territories, to determine whether these forces have been genuine peacekeepers or are a post-imperial presence that seeks to maintain former strategic interests. The volume includes first-hand accounts of the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) peacekeeping efforts in South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Moldova, and Tajikistan. These are juxtaposed with contemporary assessments of Russian peacekeeping efforts alongside NATO forces, as well as in Chechnya. The authors conclude that, although the Russian strategic intent may have been hegemonic, in real terms the "peacekeepers" on the ground are probably not militarily capable of furthering Russian strategic aims. Contributors include Domitilla Sagramoso, Jacob W. Kipp, Tarn Warren, Yevhen Sharov, Timothy Thomas, Trevor Waters, Andrés Smith Serrano, and Dmitry V. Polikanov.