The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security

Gennady Nuryshev; Viktor Kogut

doi:10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17

UDC

327

THE NEW "GREAT GAME" IN TRANSCAUCASIA AS A THREAT TO RUSSIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security

АА Аа

Published in National Security and Strategic Planning · Pages 5–17 · Rubric: Strategic planning and security in the geopolitics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17

Received: 31.08.2025 Accepted: 13.09.2025 Published: 27.09.2025

Authors

Gennady Nuryshev

ORCID SPIN

Viktor Kogut

ORCID SPIN

Gennady Nuryshev

Academic degree: doctor of political sciences

Science rang: professor

Saint Petersburg State University of Economics

ORCID SPIN

Viktor Kogut

Academic degree: candidate of political sciences

Science rang: docent

Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly deputy General secretary, plenipotentiary representative · National assembly of the Republic of Belarus at the IPA CIS and PA CSTO · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

Saint Petersburg university of State fire service of EMERCOM of Russia associate professor · department of theory and history of state and law · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

Saint-Petersburg state economic university head of the basic department · basic department of Eurasian integration · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID SPIN

ABSTRACT

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

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GOST

Nuryshev G. N., Kogut V. G. The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security // . 2026. pp. 5-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

MLA

Gennady Nuryshev, Kogut V. G.. "The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security." (2026): 5-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17.

APA

Nuryshev G. N., Kogut V. G. (2026). The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security. , 5-17. https://doi.org/10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17

Chicago

Gennady Nuryshev, Kogut V. G.. "The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security." , no. (2026): 5-17. https://doi.org/10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Nuryshev G. N., Kogut V. G. | title = The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security | journal = | year = 2026 | pages = 5-17 | doi = 10.37468/2307-1400-2025-2-5-17 }}

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THE NEW "GREAT GAME" IN TRANSCAUCASIA AS A THREAT TO RUSSIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security

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