Military operations in the CIS : peacekeeping or restoration of regional hegemony?

Abstract

Post-communist Russia has entered a new stage after nearly two years of trying to reorient itself away from the former stereotypes of Soviet ideology. Russian involvement in conflicts on the territory of the ex-USSR was declared by Moscow as peacekeeping operations. This study discusses the conflict settlement in Moldova, Abkhazia and Tajikistan and attempts to indicate that the military operations in the CIS differ from the classical definition of peacekeeping within the theory of International Relations. This study also questions whether the case studies can be described accurately as the CIS peacekeeping operations. The appeal by Moscow to the international authoritative bodies to grant Russia peacekeeper’s status proposes a veiled desire toward the restoration of the Russian empire. Hence, peacekeeping has turned out to be a key element in Russian overall policy to rehabilitate and maintain its influence in the territory of the ex-USSR.