Near abroad

As near abroad are from Russia's point of view refers to the other 14 former republics of the Soviet Union, in particular in order to emphasize a historical, cultural or economic ties or the dependence of these states on Russia. The EU used for that emerged from the Soviet Republics European states - because she sees expressed in the Russian term hegemony - against " common neighborhood ".

Historical background

The Soviet Union and previously also the Russian Empire was a " polyethnisches empire". The ratio of the Russian Centre for the different peoples of the Estonians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Tatars, etc. was marked by the tension between the political and military dominance of Russia and its relative socio-economic backwardness. The usual especially in the American research flat transfer of the terms colonialism and imperialism on Russia and the Soviet Union veiled therefore declared more than they do.

The newly independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union from Moscow States were partly already in the time of the Russian Empire under Russian rule. In Eastern Europe, the dominant in every aspect Grand Duchy of Moscow played a significant role in the development of the neighboring peoples. The close relationship is reflected in many ways: narrow demographic interdependence due to internal migration, resettlement and intermarriage. There are also economic, political and cultural ties, as the East European level is characterized by a lack of natural boundaries and thus represents a uniform settlement area.

Policy of the Russian Federation against the " near abroad "

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) tried to institutionalize as a successor organization to the Soviet Union, the close relations between the newly independent republics now. Due to the hegemonic role of the Russian Federation, this institution came but little favor in the successor states seen as an instrument with which the Russian Federation continue to carry out military, economic and political pressure through the close relationships.

Due to the close economic ties of the successor states of the Soviet Union close trade relations between these countries are still the rule, so that raw materials such as oil and gas, or foods such as wine or fruit and vegetables, but also intermediate and finished products to non- world market conditions due to traded barter trade between these countries. This creates dependencies that do take advantage of the Russian Federation due to its dominant position, so blockages in the delivery of wine from Moldova or a boycott of Georgian wine deliveries.

In addition, the Russian military is in some of the successor states military units. In part, this is done on a contractual basis, for example in Sevastopol in Ukraine, but also partly without the consent of the country concerned to support secessionist de facto Regimee, as in the Republic of Moldova (Transnistria ) and in Georgia ( Abkhazia and South Ossetia).

Russian troops in the Middle abroad

President Boris Yeltsin outlined in June 1993, two ways to solve the problem of Russian troops in, near abroad ': either they would completely withdrawn from the former Soviet republics or changed their status to the staff of a Russian military base. The new Russian military doctrine was adopted by the Security Council of the Russian Federation On 2 November 1993, and thus gave the establishment of military bases abroad, a legal status.

This doctrine laid wrote that " the security interests of Russia and other CIS countries, the stationing of troops and military equipment outside the territory of the Russian Federation may require ." In addition, foresaw the Law for the Defence of the Russian Federation of 24 December 1992 that Russian military units can be stationed outside Russia's borders with the consent of Parliament. International diplomats and the military leadership saw this policy in line with the Treaty on Collective Security of 15 May 1992 and other agreements between the Russian Federation and the CIS Member States.