Continuity and Change in the Causes of Russia’s Military Interventions

Russia, as a great power, has one of the highest levels of trans-border military interventions. In particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has opened a new chapter in the history of the country's interventions, which requires studying and rethinking the causes of these interventions. This article seeks to respond to the research need in the framework of historical-analytical and explanatory approach. For this purpose, the main research question focuses on the factors influencing Russian military intervention and then identifying the primary factors from the secondary ones. In the research process, we identified 9 variables as related factors to the Russian military interventions and then studied the role and position of each factors among the other factors. These factors include: great power status, regional hegemony, personality and leadership style of political elites, fighting against terrorism, strategic alliances and cooperation with the host government, nationalism and pan-Slavism, supporting the Russian co-identity groups In the host country, economic and military capabilities, and the diversionary war to solving legitimacy problem. Findings show that among these factors, great power status plays a central role in Russian military interventions. Great power status and regional hegemony, have played a major and lasting role in driving Russian interventions. We argued that the Russia’s great power status and regional hegemony, are the two main factors that drive all Russia’s military interventions. The motivation for the accumulation of power, which is crystallized in the main causes of Russian interventions, accepts the offensive Realism as a theoretical basis for research.