The book explores the Russian leadership's strategic agenda and illuminates the range of problems it faces in implementing it. Given these difficulties and the Russian leadership's concerns about an unstable and increasingly competitive world, the Russian official and expert community often use the term 'mobilisation' to describe the measures that Moscow is increasingly resorting to in order to implement its agenda. The book explores what this means, and concludes that many of the terms used in the Western debate about Russia both misdiagnose the nature of the challenge and misrepresent the situation in Russia. At a time when many of the books about Russia are focused specifically on the war in Ukraine and the deterioration in relations between the Euro-Atlantic community and Russia, or are biographies of Vladimir Putin, it offers a new and unique lens through which to understand how Russia works and how Russian domestic and foreign politics are intimately linked.

Reviews

Praise for Andrew Monaghan's The New Politics of Russia (MUP 2016)

'A lucid and important book.'
Sir Rodric Braithwaite, British Ambassador to the USSR/Russia 1988-92

'A must read for those interested in foreign policy, experts and laymen alike, but especially for junior and senior policy-makers.'
David Glantz, Chief Editor, Journal of Slavic Military Studies

'This book cuts through hysteria and conventional wisdom, and is essential reading for those seeking to understand the challenges of dealing with Russia. '
Richard Connolly, Co-Director, Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies, University of Birmingham

Dr. Monaghan's excellent book is lucid, accessible and could not have come at a better time.'
Megan Edwards, Defence Specialist, Defence Select Committee, House of Commons

'Provides an excellent précis of Russian priorities and a model for the concise analysis of national policy in other states.'
Alasdair Roberts, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Wiley Governance

Introduction: strategy in a time of crisis
1 Setting a strategic agenda
2 The problems of power in Russia
3 Making Russia work
4 Defending Russia
Conclusion: mobilising power in Russia