Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation

Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation
Name	Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation
Type	Strategic document
Jurisdiction	Russian Federation
Status	Current

Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation. The Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation is the foundational strategic planning document that outlines the state's official views on the nature of modern warfare, identifies military dangers and threats, and establishes the principles for the development, employment, and support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It serves as a key component of the national security framework, alongside the National Security Strategy of Russia and the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation. The doctrine is formally approved by the President of Russia and provides the legal and conceptual basis for military policy, force posture, and defense planning.

Historical Development

The modern doctrine evolved from the military theories of the Soviet Union, with its first post-Soviet iteration approved by Boris Yeltsin in 1993 amid the instability following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. A significantly revised version was adopted in 2000 under President Vladimir Putin, reflecting lessons from the First Chechen War and the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, and emphasizing internal threats and the need for military reform. The 2010 doctrine, signed by Dmitry Medvedev, introduced a more cooperative tone towards NATO but identified the expansion of the alliance and U.S. missile defense plans as key external dangers. The pivotal 2014 edition, updated after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the War in Donbas, explicitly framed NATO as a primary military threat and endorsed the concept of "non-linear" and "hybrid" warfare. The current 2021 doctrine further intensified this confrontational stance, listing the deployment of U.S. intermediate-range missiles and the development of Prompt Global Strike capabilities as direct threats to Russian security.

Core Principles and Strategic Concepts

The doctrine is predicated on the principle of "strategic deterrence," which encompasses a spectrum of military and non-military measures to prevent aggression. It formally recognizes the increasing role of non-military means, such as information and economic pressure, to achieve political and strategic goals, a concept often associated with contemporary Russian military thought. Key strategic concepts include the "escalate to de-escalate" posture, the integrated use of military force in "information confrontation," and the defense of compatriots abroad. The doctrine justifies the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation not only for repelling external aggression but also for conducting "peacekeeping" operations and protecting its citizens, as demonstrated in interventions like the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

Organizational Structure and Command

Supreme command authority is vested in the President of Russia, who serves as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces. Operational command and control flows through the National Defense Management Center to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, headed by the Chief of the General Staff. The Ministry of Defence (Russia) is responsible for administrative control, logistics, and policy implementation. This structure centralizes decision-making for strategic operations, including the potential use of nuclear weapons, which requires authorization from the President. The Security Council of Russia plays a critical advisory role in formulating doctrinal and strategic policy.

Nuclear Deterrence Policy

Nuclear weapons are declared as a solely retaliatory measure, but the doctrine reserves the right to use them in response to a conventional attack that threatens the very existence of the state, a policy of "de-escalatory" or "limited" nuclear strike. This posture is managed by the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence and executed by the Russian Aerospace Forces' Long-Range Aviation and the Russian Navy's submarine fleet. The modernization of the nuclear triad, including systems like the RS-28 Sarmat ICBM and Borei-class submarine, is a top priority. The doctrine views strategic parity with the United States as essential and cites developments such as the U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty as justification for its own arms programs.

Conventional Forces and Modernization

The doctrine mandates the development of a mobile, technologically advanced, and permanently ready conventional force, a shift from the massive mobilization army of the Soviet era. This "New Look" reform, championed by former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, aimed to create a more professional force, exemplified by the establishment of permanent readiness brigades. Modernization priorities include precision-guided munitions, unmanned systems, automated command and control networks (C4ISR), and advanced air defense systems like the S-400 missile system. The experience gained in conflicts such as the Second Chechen War and the Russo-Georgian War directly informed these reforms, which were tested and refined during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

Regional and Global Security Posture

The doctrine asserts Russia's right to a sphere of privileged interests in the post-Soviet states, viewing the CIS region, and particularly organizations like the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), as central to its defense. It identifies the Arctic as a strategic resource region requiring enhanced military presence, leading to the reactivation of Soviet-era bases. Globally, the posture is one of strategic competition, actively countering U.S. influence and NATO enlargement through military partnerships, arms sales, and the deployment of forces to strategic locations like Khmeimim air base in Syria. The doctrine frames this competition as a defensive necessity against a unipolar world order dominated by the West.

Category:Military of Russia Category:Military doctrines Category:National security of Russia