Gleb Makarevich is a Junior Research Fellow, Centre of the Indo-Pacific Region at the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO RAS) – Russia’s leading academic institute and think-tank in International Relations.

His academic interests cover Russian foreign policy towards South Asia, India-Pakistan confrontation, Pakistan’s external and internal affairs, its strategic culture, the interaction between the nation’s elites, namely, the political class, business circles and the military. Makarevich’s expertise in the analytical domain includes Indian foreign policy and Russia-India relations.

Let us begin with the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Russia is often described as a Pacific power, yet the war in Ukraine continues without resolution. It is notable that Ukraine, despite its relatively smaller size, has demonstrated remarkable military resilience, even conducting operations within Russian territory. In your view, what factors have enabled this resilience?

This resilience has been unabled by the following factors: unprecedented (military, economic, ideological) support by the West; Russia’s initial calculation to conduct a special military operation, rather than to be involved into a full-scale warfare – as a result, Russia initially had to confront a mobilized society and pursue its goals with means of peaceful time; as the conflict transformed into the war of attrition, Ukraine enjoys resources of the US, Europe and West-prone allies with Russia handling its issues based on its own resources.

In this context, many within the Western strategic community argue that while Russia is geographically a Pacific power, its ability and willingness to project influence in the region remain uncertain. How would you respond to this perspective?

It is fair to say that Russia does not invest enough efforts and resources into projecting its influence in the region, although it has some capacities and demonstrates its willingness. However, last 5-10 years saw tremendous rise in Russia’s activities in the region: gradual surge in trade dynamics, investments and........

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