Russia: A New Empire Under Construction - The Russian Policy Towards Former Communist Satellites - Mechanisms of Exertion of Influence - Ukraine, Crimea, Putin, Georgia, Poland, Energy Strategy

The collapse of the Soviet communist bloc and subsequent disintegration of the Soviet Union was undoubtedly one of the most significant political events of the 20th century. As a consequence, the world's political map was populated by many newly emerged states-the former Soviet republics, e.g., Ukraine or Georgia including Russia itself. In turn, the former members of the communist bloc were given a historical opportunity to break its ties with the Russian hegemon, and to start pursuing independent policy, in order to seek for them a proper place in the international community. One of the most prominent countries from this group of states was Poland. However, there is little evidence that Russian policymakers have abandoned the communist doctrine of the near abroad. Instead, there are numerous examples suggesting that Russia is attempting to sustain its zone of influence over Poland. Moreover, it seems that Poland is not the only former communist state having problems establishing a good relationship with Russia. This has been an issue for the Baltic States, Azerbaijan, the Ukraine and Georgia.

Theoretical Framework and the Contemporary Russian Foreign Policy Foundations * Poland-On the Periphery of Near Abroad * Ukraine-Close Near Abroad * Georgia-Too Close Near Abroad * BALANCE OF POWER THEORY * Balance of Power Theory-Main Propositions * Balance of Power Theory-Small States' Perspective and Strategies * Building Coalitions and Building up Arms * Bandwagoning * Detente * Buck-passing * Neutrality * BALANCE OF POWER THEORY IN PRACTICE-COLD WAR ERA AND POST COLD WAR CONSEQUENCES * Cold War Era * POST-COMMUNIST RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY * Russian Political Culture and Search for a New Identity * Competing Foreign Policy Orientations in Russia * Liberal Westernist Orientation * Fundamentalist Nationalist Orientation * Pragmatic Nationalist Orientation * Eurasianism-the Russian Path? * The Victory of Pragmatic Nationalists and the Rise of the Eurasianism Idea * Eurasianism idea-The Geopolitical Principles * Russian Goals in its Near Abroad * POLAND-ON THE PERIPHERY OF NEAR ABROAD * HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE POLISH-RUSSIAN RELATIONSHIPS * Pre 1989 History * Post 1989 Events * Historical Background-The Key to the Present * POLAND AND THE RUSSIAN DIME * Russian Diplomatic Capabilities in Poland * Political Background * Classic and Non-Conventional Russian Diplomatic Means in Poland * Russian Informational Capabilities in Poland * Information-A Soft Power * Russian Informational Strategy in Poland * Overt (Classic) Informational Means * Covert (Unconventional) Informational Means * Russian Military Capabilities With Regards to Poland * Russian Armed Forces * The Military Dimension of the Polish-Russian Relationships * Russian Economic Capabilities with Regards to Poland * Russian Energy Strategy * Poland in the Russian "Pipeline Tongs" * "Conventional" Dimension of the Polish-Russian Economic Relationships * UKRAINE - CLOSE NEAR ABROAD * HISTORICAL BACKGROUND * Introduction * Ukraine as a Part of the Soviet Union * Post-Soviet Era * Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) * "Orange Revolution" * RUSSIAN DIME TOWARDS UKRAINE * Russian Diplomatic Capabilities in Ukraine Russian Interference in the Ukrainian Presidential Election in 2004 * Russian Informational Capabilities in Ukraine * Russian Diaspora in Crimea-Russian leverage on Ukraine * 3. Russian Military Capabilities in Ukraine * Russian Economic Capabilities in Ukraine * GEORGIA - TOO CLOSE NEAR ABROAD * A. HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND * 1. Georgia - A Part of the Transcaucasus Ethnic Pot * The Rose Revolution * THE RUSSIAN INTERESTS IN THE TRANSCAUCASUS * RUSSIAN DIME TOWARDS GEORGIA-"M" TAKES PRIORITY * Georgia-Russia: 1991-2003 * Conflict in South Ossetia * Conflict in Abkhazia * Georgia between Russia and West * Beginning of the Russian "Active Diplomacy" * Georgia-Russia: in the Aftermath of the Rose Revolution * The Russia-Georgia Relationships on the Slippery