Gudrun Persson

Welcome to the RUCARR Distinguished Speaker Series June 9!

Gudrun Persson: ”The Evolution of Russian Strategy since the Crimean War”

Speaker

Dr. Gudrun Persson, Associate Professor at the Slavic Department, Stockholm University. She has published widely on Russian affairs, including five monographs. She is a member of The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences, and The Royal Society of Naval Sciences. Her latest book is "Russian Military Thought: The Evolution of Strategy since the Crimean War" (Georgetown University Press, 2025).

Abstract

Novel insights into Russian military thought—from the Crimean War to the war in Ukraine

The development of the Russian military's strategic thought is an understudied and thus misunderstood subject in the West. Strategy in Russia encompasses the broader context of foreign and domestic policy as well as the military's ties to the country's leadership. The military's strategic thought is closely linked to Russia's existence as a state and explains patterns of Russian confrontation.

In Russian Military Thought, the renowned scholar Gudrun Persson offers novel insights into Russian military thought on doctrine and strategy, from the Crimean War to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Persson dismantles the simplistic notion that Russian military thought is "backward," instead presenting a deeper analysis of the drivers that influence the changes in Russian military strategy. Through archival research based on Russian language sources, Persson offers a multidisciplinary perspective, drawing on theoretical insights from history and political science that enable her to make a nuanced, qualitative analysis.

This book will be essential reading for practitioners, scholars, and students who seek to understand the mind-set of the current Russian leadership and the constraints that shape Russia's future possibilities.

Moderator

Prof. Bo Petersson, Malmö University

Contact