Russia’s National Security Strategy: Ideology, Strategic Priorities and Threat Perceptions

This policy outlook analyses Russia’s strategic priorities, national interests and threat perceptions by examining its latest national security strategy document.

Russian foreign policy elites believe that the world is undergoing significant transformations through which the global balance of power is shifting, new power centres are emerging, and existing international institutions and rules are losing ground. As a result of these changes, the risk of conflicts and instability in the world is increasing. Against this backdrop, Moscow seeks to adapt the country to the emerging world order. Russia’s latest national security strategy document reveals that Moscow continues to distance itself from the West while deepening cooperation with Asian countries, most notably China and India. Additionally, Moscow considers dealing with domestic issues such as demographic trends, economic inequality, education and corruption as a key to the achievement of its wider national security objectives. This policy outlook analyses Russia’s strategic priorities, national interests and threat perceptions by examining its strategy document.