Imperial Perceptions and Geopolitical Behavior: Russia’s Colonial Mindset Toward Its Neighbors

This paper explores the persistence of imperial thinking in Russia’s contemporary geopolitical identity. Despite the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia continues to conceptualize its neighboring states not as sovereign equals, but as extensions of its historical sphere of influence. The study argues that this perception reflects a deep-rooted colonial mindset, where the borders of the Russian Federation are imagined as the edges of an unfinished empire. Drawing on discourse analysis of political rhetoric, state media narratives, and foreign policy documents, the research examines how notions of conquest, subordination, and dependency are reproduced within Russian strategic thought. By framing its neighbors as either subordinate partners or rebellious dependents, Russia perpetuates a vision of hierarchy incompatible with modern principles of state sovereignty and international law. The paper situates this dynamic within broader debates on post-imperial identity, security, and regional order in Eurasia. Ultimately, it seeks to explain how the persistence of colonial perceptions shapes both Russia’s actions and the responses of the states that resist its hegemonic ambitions.