Russia’s Commitment “to Protect its Citizens” within the Post-Soviet Space: A Case of Georgia
Author : Marie Eliadze 29/06/2026
The problems raised in the article relate to Russian foreign policy and decision-making and correspond to its policy of “protecting its citizens” in the post-Soviet space. For this purpose, the thesis explores a case study of Georgia and examines the consequences of the given policy for the region more generally. The major finding of the research is that the commitment “to protect the citizens” by force is an essential instrument for compelling a country to shape its foreign policy strategies in relevance with Russian political objectives. Further, the research demonstrated that Russia seeks to extend its geopolitical influence over the post-Soviet region by maintaining its grip on Russian passport holders.
These findings suggest that Russia’s policy of protecting its citizens abroad operates less as a humanitarian commitment and more as a strategic instrument of foreign policy. Using the Georgian case, it demonstrates how passportisation, separatist mobilization, and selective intervention are interlinked components of a broader coercive mechanism. By distributing citizenship in separatist regions and invoking protective obligations, Moscow creates legal and political justifications for intervention in neighbouring states. The findings show that these practices are embedded in a wider geopolitical contest with the West over the post-Soviet space, where unresolved conflicts are used to limit sovereignty, obstruct Euro-Atlantic integration, and sustain Russian influence regionally.
Keywords: Passportisation, Protection, Citizenship, Russia, Georgia.
Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.55367/ZNLC9631