Examination of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation in terms of defensive realism: The geostrategic and geopolitical function of the Russian military bases

With the dissolution of the USSR, Russia, which was weak compared to the past and lost its "great power" status in the international arena due to the reduced of the land area, the decrease of the population and the exclusion of important military and economic infrastructures, had difficulties in determining its direction in foreign policy as well as important domestic problems. Foreign policy towards the West in the Yeltsin period, with Putin's Presidency oriented towards its former allies in the USSR period, such as Syria in the Middle East and Central Asia regions, which are regarded as its "backyard" according to the foreign policy concepts developed. In this study, by examining the military aspects of Russian foreign policy and the military bases abroad in terms of defensive realism, it has been questioned whether these military bases of Russia are left only in defensiveism. In the study, it was concluded that Russian military bases were not only defensive purposes but also to gain influence and protect their presence in the Central Asian region which had historical ties and considered as "backyard" and in the Middle East region, through Syria, its former ally. Because of its military bases in these regions, Russia both increased its defense power and enhanced its international prestige by representing its presence abroad.