Words or Swords: Russia's Strategies in Handling its Territorial Disputes

States can choose to cooperate, delay or escalate their territorial disputes, but there is a lack of understanding of strategy behind each choice. Strategy is carefully calculated, especially for essential state elements, such as territory. In this study, Russian territorial disputes are looked at using the theory of omnibalancing and the theory of preventive warfare, theories which have already been applied by Taylor Fravel in his successful analysis of the Chinese territorial disputes. Russia has a rich history of territorial disputes and the results of this qualitative research show that Fravel’s approach can explain most of Russia’s cases, but the explanatory power could be increased by changing certain premises of his theory. Specifically, calculations that various Russian regimes have made need to be interpreted broadly since threats and benefits can take various forms. Professionals in Security and Foreign Policy will find this analysis enlightening, as will academics and their students.