THE NEW "GREAT GAME" IN TRANSCAUCASIA AS A THREAT TO RUSSIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY
Abstract and keywords
Abstract (English):
The purpose of the study is to identify the key directions and mechanisms of geopolitical confrontation in the Transcaucasus, as well as to determine the extent of their impact on Russia’s national security. The study notes that a new geopolitical rivalry, reminiscent of the competition between empires in the 19th century, is currently unfolding in the Caucasus. It is indicated that the Russian civilizational code in the region is gradually being replaced by Anglo-Saxon and Turkish variants. External geopolitical actors are attempting to form a unified anti-Russian geopolitical belt in the Transcaucasus. The countries of the region, in order to justify their geopolitical shift away from Russia toward the West, have adopted the concept of de-Sovietization and de-Russification, which has been embraced by nearly all post-Soviet republics. The study emphasizes the need for Russia to develop a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening its influence in the Transcaucasus, advancing instruments of “soft power,” and enhancing the resilience of its national security system to external geopolitical challenges.

Keywords:
New Great Game, geopolitical interests, geopolitical confrontation, national security, civilizational code, pan-Turkism, geostrategic balance
Text
Text (PDF): Read Download
References

1. Crowhurst P. What is the Great Game? URL: https://www.britishempire.me.uk/what-was-the-great-game-.html (date accessed: 02.07.2025).

2. Braml J., Burrows M. Central Asia: The Great Game 2.0 URL: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/silk-road-rivalries/central-asia-the-great-game-2-0 (date accessed: 02.07.2025).

3. Bakanova M. The New Great Game as a Paradigm of Modernity. URL: https://russiancouncil.ru/blogs/marina-bakanova/novaya-bolshaya-igra-kak-paradigma-sovremennosti/?ysclid=mct5tnf7cz237436930 (date accessed: 07.07.2025).

4. Savostyanov S. The New "Great Game" in the Caucasus. URL: https://dzen.ru/a/ZhxE0_MAtgZV7Yoj?ysclid=mcmamj36e6514419587 (date accessed: 03.07.2025).

5. Grigoriev A. New Balances in the Caucasus: The Georgian "Echo" of the Washington Agreements between Trump, Aliyev, and Pashinyan. URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/geopolitika-i-bezopasnost/novye-balansy-na-kavkaze-gruzinskoe-ekho-vashingtonskikh-dogovoryennostey-trampa-alieva-i-pashinyana/ (date accessed: 17.08.2025).

6. Tarasov S. NATO is ready to open a "second front": Brussels is making plans to capture Tbilisi. URL: https://svpressa.ru/politic/article/472310/?utm_source=politobzor.net (date accessed: 13.07.2025).

7. Pankratov R. Pashinyan is acting on the instructions of Western intelligence agencies. URL: https://www.osnmedia.ru/world/pashinyan-dejstvuet-po-ukazaniyu-zapadnyh-razvedok/ (date accessed: 10.08.2025).

8. Tigran Baghramyan. Casinos in the Service of Geopolitics: How Britain Finances the Pashinyan Regime? URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/geopolitika-i-bezopasnost/kazino-na-sluzhbe-geopolitiki-kak-britaniya-finansiruet-rezhim-pashinyana/ (date accessed: 10.08.2025).

9. Pashinyan was recruited by the intelligence services before the "2018 scam." URL: https://dzen.ru/a/ZsL455XBcXUIbrw3?ysclid=mfeeuafh4y210415570 (accessed: 12.08.2025).

10. Asriyan A. "A State – Russia's Ally – Is Controlled by an Exposed British Spy." URL: https://spb.tsargrad.tv/articles/gosudarstvom-sojuznikom-rossii-upravljaet-razoblachjonnyj-anglijskij-shpion_317092?ysclid=mfef77uqam129327285 (date accessed:14.08.2025).

11. Baghdasarov S. Pashinyan surrenders Karabakh. URL: https://t.me/sbagdasarov/16380?ysclid=mflaq0u0th92266699 (date of access: September 15, 2025).

12. Baghramyan T. Rubinyan and Grzo under Pashinyan: on the work of the pro-Turkish lobby in Armenia then and now. URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/sobytiya-i-kommentarii/rubinyan-i-grzo-pri-pashinyane-o-rabote-proturetskogo-lobbi-v-armenii-prezhde-i-teper/ (date accessed: 04.08.2025).

13. Savostyanov S. The New "Great Game" in the Caucasus. URL: https://dzen.ru/a/ZhxE0_MAtgZV7Yoj?ysclid=mcmamj36e6514419587 (date accessed: 03.07.2025).

14. Khomyakov V. Pashinyan laid a mine under Russia: Checkmate in two moves. The elite decided to lie down. URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aGlpyVckRk23EPl_ (date accessed: 06.07.2025).

15. Olshansky K. Aliyev, Erdogan, and Pashinyan are close to getting Putin to make concessions. The real reason for the Russian-Azerbaijani conflict is control over Zangezur. URL: https://svpressa.ru/politic/article/471240/?utm_source=politobzor.net (date accessed: 06.07.2025).

16. "Colonel Peters' Card." Baku Counts on a Big Win. URL: https://ok.ru/group/52006608765056/topic/156849374700928 (date accessed: 14.07.2025).

17. Novik M. "Azerbaijan from Bagirov to Aliyev: How a Socialist Republic Became the Main Russophobe in Transcaucasia." URL: https://vfokuse.mail.ru/article/samyy-severnyy-poselok-rossii-nanesut-na-cifrovye-karty-67803252/?from=swap&swap=2 (date accessed: 10.08. 2025).

18. Rodionov D. "Ukrainization" of Azerbaijan: Why Did Aliyev Engage in Mythmaking? URL: https://nic-pnb.ru/politicheskie-processy-na-postsovetskom-prostranstve/ukrainizacziya-azerbajdzhana-zachem-aliev-zanyalsya-mifotvorchestvom/ (date accessed: 09.08.2025)..

19. Pavliv M. "Baku, What's Wrong with Your Face?" The Ukrainian Trace in the Russian-Azerbaijani Conflict. URL: https://nic-pnb.ru/analytics/baku-chto-s-liczom-ukrainskij-sled-v-rossijsko-azerbajdzhanskom-konflikte/ (date accessed: 09.08.2025).

20. Andreev S. Turkey's base in Azerbaijan: who is behind the Russophobic campaign in the media. URL: https://www.ritmeurasia.ru/news—2025-07-28—baza-turcii-v-azerbajdzhane-kto-stoit-za-rusofobskoj-kampaniej-v-media-81790 (date accessed: 03.08.2025).

21. "Very painful": former intelligence officer Artamonov spoke of Azerbaijan's hysteria over Russia's retaliatory strike. URL: https://turmalin-morion.livejournal.com/2071455.htmlutm_medium=exchange&utm_source=infox? (date accessed: 04.08.2025)

22. Latyshev S. "Colonel Peters' Card". Baku attacks Russia, expecting a big payout. Will Iran pay? URL: https://ok.ru/dzen/article/aGQiiIyMCxLNB4l5 (date accessed: 01.07.2025).

23. Golovnev I. Aliyev's Caspian Gambit: A strike against Russia from the sea is being prepared. How will Moscow respond? URL: https://spb.tsargrad.tv/articles/kaspijskij-gambit-alieva-gotovitsja-udar-po-rossii-s-morja-chem-otvetit-moskva_1316556?ysclid=me1mi45479879462560 (date accessed: 07.08.2025).

24. Nefedov D. Azerbaijan – Turkey – Israel: A “Gas Triangle” under US Patronage or Something More? URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/geopolitika-i-bezopasnost/azerbaydzhan-turtsiya-izrail-gazovyy-treugolnik-pod-patronazhem-ssha-ili-nechto-bolshee/ (date accessed: 07.08.2025).

25. Panina E. "The Turkish project of a "new Ottoman Empire" is doomed to clash with the "Greater Kurdistan" and "Greater Israel" projects." URL: https://russtrat.ru/publications/1735233409-12729 (date accessed: 07.08.2025).

26. Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan excluded Russia from the Zangezur Corridor agreement. URL: https://topcor.ru/61614-armenija-turcija-i-azerbajdzhan-iskljuchili-rossiju-iz-soglashenija-po-zangezurskomu-koridoru.html (date accessed: 08.07.2025).

27. Khomyakov V. "Pashinyan laid a mine under Russia: Checkmate in two moves. The elite decided to lie down." URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aGlpyVckRk23EPl_ (date accessed:07/06/2025).

28. Braml J., Burrows M. Central Asia: The Great Game 2.0. URL: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/silk-road-rivalries/central-asia-the-great-game-2-0 (date accessed: 04.08.2025).

29. Saner Y. Zangezur: Not a Corridor, but a Trap... The US is Pushing Turkey into a Minefield. URL: https://yandex.ru/search/?text=Yiyit+Saner+Zangezur%3A+Not+a+Corridor%2C+but+a+Trap...+The+US+is+Pushing+Turkey+into+a+Minefield&clid=2270455&banerid=0500000134%3A5bdc4c5e904e800013bd7dc8&win=395&lr=2 (date accessed: 04.08.2025).

30. Tarasov S. War with Russia in Transcaucasia: The West is preparing a "Trojan horse" for "Great Game 2". URL: https://svpressa.ru/politic/article/475841/?qcq=1 (date accessed: 11.08.2025).

31. Garayev T. "Trump's Path" – as the Route of a New War in the Caucasus. URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/sobytiya-i-kommentarii/put-trampa-kak-marshrut-novoy-voyny-na-kavkaze/ (date accessed: 04.08.2025)

32. Kuznetsov Yu. Turkish Military Disputes over the Zangezur Corridor. URL: https://vpoanalytics.com/point-of-view/turetskie-voennye-posporili-o-zangezurskom-koridore/ (date accessed: 17.08.2025).

33. Savostyanov S. The New "Great Game" in the Caucasus. URL: https://dzen.ru/a/ZhxE0_MAtgZV7Yoj?ysclid=mcmamj36e6514419587 (date accessed: 03.07.2025).

34. Khomyakov V. “Pashinyan Came to Surrender”: An Unexpected Alliance Against Russia. What Does China Have to Do with It? URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aHAcfNEU9lzRchnb (date accessed: 12.07.2025).

35. Tarasov S. War with Russia in Transcaucasia: The West is Preparing a “Trojan Horse” for the “Great Game 2”. URL: https://svpressa.ru/politic/article/475841/ (date accessed: 12.07.2025).

36. Strelnikov K. It Looks Like There Will Be No Peace: Russia Needs to Prepare for the Worst. URL: https://ria.ru/20250709/evropa-2028003456.html?ysclid=md0kcc3ri0590570585 (date accessed: 13.07.2025).

37. Were you expecting General Armageddon to return? Here you go. The situation won't be limited to the SVO alone. URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aLjP5pml32RFFXYk (date accessed: 08.08.2025).

38. "The Militarization of Europe: Budgets and Geography of New Production Capacities": report. URL: https://cdnweb.roscongress.org/upload/medialibrary/291/nf61gofqhaw3y3x8ljjzoyr612e6ek4q/Militarizatsiya-Evropy.pdf (date accessed: 13.08.2025).

39. Stephen F. Szabo. Germany's New Confrontation with the Past. URL: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/germanys-new-confrontation-with-the-past (date accessed: 29.08.2025).

40. Chertinov. "Blitzkrieg Scheduled for 2030: The West Is Already Disarming Russia. Officials Are Helping." URL: https://dzen.ru/a/aE8Knn8a1G6hlP0y (date accessed: 08.08.2025).

Login or Create
* Forgot password?