Eyes west! A shift in focus in Russia’s Southern Military District. OSW COMMENTARY 2020-09-08.
Journal: Archive of European Integration (AEI) (University of Pittsburgh)
Year: 2020

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Southern Military District (SMD), which is the smallest of all the main administrative units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in terms of landmass, has been one of the most powerful districts and one of those playing the greatest roles in the armed conflicts in which Russia is engaged. In the two Chechen wars and the strike against Georgia in 2008, it bore the main brunt, and at present currently, along with the Black Sea Fleet (which is u