Understanding Russia’s Interest in Conflict Zones

Russia’s involvement in less-developed, fragile, and conflict-ridden countries has grown over the last several years and raises questions about the Kremlin’s interests, motives, and intentions. For the first decade or so after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s attention was focused on its neighborhood. But under Vladimir Putin—and especially since the beginning of his third presidential term in 2012—Moscow’s global ambitions have steadily increased, including in unstable areas of the Middle East, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere.