Modern Imperialism and the Origins of the Russia-Ukraine War

The Russia-Ukraine war that started in February 2022 and has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths by mid-2024 is the largest and bloodiest inter-state conflict in the world in decades; it has already re-shaped and will be further re-shaping European economic and security landscape. As with any individual historical episode, the origins of war could hardly be studied within a single model. In this short essay, I draw on the classic notion of imperialism and modern structural models of authoritarian rule to explain the Putin’s decision to launch the invasion. It would not have happened without the Russian imperial tradition; it would also not have happened without the Russian state degeneration into a corrupt, de-institutionalized, and personalistic regime.