{"product_id":"imperfect-equilibrium-civil-military-relations-in-russian-defense-policymaking-paperback-1","title":"Imperfect Equilibrium: Civil-Military Relations in Russian Defense Policymaking - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eKirill Shamiev\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite years of attempts to improve its military capabilities, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 revealed a crippling lack of skill, discipline and equipment. Non-material factors, in particular the power struggle between military and civilian leaderships, have hindered reform of its armed forces: with officers dominating defense policy, the Kremlin has struggled to implement the necessary changes. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eKirill Shamiev explores the political reasons behind Russia's poor military preparedness for the war in Ukraine. He demonstrates how a seemingly obedient military has frequently blocked civilian reforms, taking advantage of weak oversight mechanisms. The Kremlin's efforts to centralize control and make the armed forces personally accountable to President Vladimir Putin harmed institutional learning, cementing a conservative civil-military status quo. While this protected the military from civil society interference and ensured Putin's autocratic rule, it ultimately limited the pace and scope of change. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAnalyzing three cases of reform between 2000 and 2021, \u003cem\u003eImperfect Equilibrium\u003c\/em\u003e offers critical insights into the relationship between civilian control and military effectiveness in Russia. Drawing on extensive qualitative and quantitative evidence--including interviews, parliamentary speeches, media reports and surveys--it shows how unchecked autonomy can undermine military development, even in authoritarian contexts.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirill Shamiev \u003c\/strong\u003eis a political scientist specializing in civil-military relations, Russian domestic politics, and defense affairs. He received his PhD from Central European University and, at the time of publication, served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University. His scholarship and public commentary have appeared in \u003cem\u003eForeign Affairs, Foreign Policy\u003c\/em\u003e, CSIS, \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e and other leading outlets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 280\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.99 x 8.53 x 5.6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 01, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53749040251187,"sku":"9780197861394","price":66.83,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/khKXPrd6fu9780197861394_608d5762-2e70-4111-9c71-ae3baf748e99.webp?v=1785259433","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/en-ca\/products\/imperfect-equilibrium-civil-military-relations-in-russian-defense-policymaking-paperback-1","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}