Thanks to @[email protected] for the following summary and turning me on to the linked excellent summary of the book.
Foundations of Geopolitics was published in 1997 by Aleksandr Dugin. It outlines how Russia can become the world’s dominant superpower without warfare. It is taught in Russia’s military officers school, Putin keeps a copy in his office, and it is Russia’s geopolitical playbook. Dugin is still closely involved with Putin and Russian intelligence, and so was his daughter, who was murdered in a car bombing that was likely meant for him.
Under the section for the United States, it says:
Russia should use its special services within the borders of the United States and Canada to fuel instability and separatism against neoliberal globalist Western hegemony, such as, for instance, provoke “Afro-American racists” to create severe backlash against the rotten political state of affairs in the current present-day system of the United States and Canada. Russia should “introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social, and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics”.
He apparently didn’t read it he invaded Ukraine
I think he read it and executed the plan to the letter, including using the exact messaging prescribed by the book:
Well, thankfully Dugin and Putin are suffering and from imperialist brain rot and never considered external factors outside their control. As someone from former colonial country, I do find bigger powers to constantly underestimate and patronise smaller countries. It is utterly stupid to invade a country who historically hates you. I always say this, it is like Britain invading Ireland and India again, and the British delusionally expecting to be re-welcomed.
I don’t mean to diminish the lives needleesly lost on both sides, but the war in Ukraine should put the final nail in the coffin in Russian jingoism and will justly serve them the humble pie. No one could see how Russia will remain a great power after the war, with so many young lives lost going to exacerbate the already dwindling population, and re-shifting the economy from war footing to civilian mode without serious ramifications. Russia’s international prestige is also badly tarnished and her traditional allies would neither trust nor respect Kremlin as a peace guarantor in the future. There are no politicians worth their salt who could replace Putin after his eventual death and keep the country going. The country could become a Chinese vassal at some point.
.ml would beg to differ
Putin has always justified his invasion of Ukraine using similar language. I specifically remember him dismissing their history saying something very similar to "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness, " and other nearly direct quotes.
Clear confirmation that Putin is using this publication as his playbook.
I’d add up a bit. The idea expressed there is also basically dismissing Ukrainian subjectivity, and that is exactly what Russians do all the time.
Their ideology locked them in such a position where either Russia exists or free independent Ukraine exists, because they treat Ukraine as “Russia’s missing piece”.
This is why I naively believe that if any ceasefire actually happens (even if slightly unfavorable for Ukraine) - Russia will simply subsequently self-destruct.