The Paradox of Power : Ukraine’s Struggle, Russia’s Dilemmas and Global Consequences. The Conference on Russia Papers 2024

Abstract

This volume interrogates the paradox of Russian power, revealing how Russia’s war against Ukraine has simultaneously exposed and concealed elements of strategic fragility and systemic resilience. Russia’s failure to achieve its initial objectives underscores limitations in its military effectiveness, yet its capacity to mobilise society through coercive and ideological means affirms a different form of strength. In parallel, the West has undergone its own reckoning, recognising the complacency bred by a liberal-democratic order long taken for granted. What emerges is a nascent consensus on renewed solidarity and burden sharing – one still in search of effective implementation. The volume is structured around three themes: Ukraine’s resistance, Russia’s internal dilemmas, and the global reverberations of both. From Russia’s psychological warfare against Ukraine and elite power structures, to the ideological structure of its political system and Church, the volume traces how narratives and geopolitics converge. Regional case studies – South Caucasus, Middle East – illustrate the extension of Russian influence beyond Europe, while chapters on the EU, NATO, and hybrid warfare assess the West’s evolving strategic posture. Collectively, the contributions offer a multilayered analysis of Russia’s enduring impact and the emerging contours of the new global order