Critically assess whether Russia is best understood as a ‘revanchist’,

‘defensive’, or ‘aggressive isolationist’ power, or something else?

Explain with examples.

Introduction

Since the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian
Federation, it could be said, has been struggling to find its place in the new world
order. It is no wonder then that emerging into a world dominated politically,
economically, and militarily by the West, in particular the U.S., is seen by many ‘Cold
Warriors’ as a heavy defeat. With such personalities now at the centre of
constructing and implementing Russian foreign policy it is understandable that these
policies have become more aggressive over time.
The following essay will examine several different lenses through which the Russian
Federation can be viewed in terms of the ‘type’ of power it is. It will look at Russia as
a revanchist, defensive, and aggressive isolationist power, using examples of
policies and actions in an attempt to understand if Russia fits any singular definition
previously mentioned.
It will show that while Russia exhibits many traits from several schools of thought,
there is no ‘one size fits all’ term for the type of power Russia is. Instead, it is an
amalgamation of leaning more towards revanchism following their 2022 invasion of
Ukraine.

Revanchism

The single most notable example of Russian revanchism is their actions in Ukraine.
Beginning in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the recognition of the Donbas
region as an independent region, Russia violated several international laws in the
reclamation of former Soviet Union (FSU) territory. It should be noted, however, that
many factors played a part in their decision to annex Crimea and support the
separatist movement in eastern Ukraine, not simply a desire to regain lost land,
although this is a large part of it.
Russia has long belived N