Russian Discourses of Sovereignty

UCL Uncovering Politics · Dec 7, 2023 · 34m

Analysts of Russia’s war in Ukraine have often – since its inception in 2014 – highlighted a seeming contradiction. On the one hand, Russia is violating the sovereignty of a neighbouring state in pursuit of its own interests. On the other, Russia simultaneously condemns Western interventions in places such as Syria, Iraq, and Libya, as well as Serbia back in 1999, on the basis that they breach the principle of non-interference in other states.

So are Russian leaders just being inconsistent? Or is there more going on?

Dr Kalina Zhekova, Lecturer in Political Science here in the UCL Department…