THE MILITARY DOCTRINE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
O. A. Belkov
The Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation refers to a number of the most important
documents defining the military-political, strategic and economic principles of security in the
Russian Federation. It represents a body of official points of views, disclosing the aims of creation,
principles of functioning and development of the military establishment and the official directions
regulating the tasks of the State and society in the military domain. The legal sources of the
Doctrine are the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws, other legal acts of the
Russian Federation and the international treaties of the Russian Federation concerning military
security.
The provision on defence aspects of the Military Doctrine seems to be of fundamental importance.
Guaranteed protection of the Federation’s national interests and military security of the Russian
Federation and its allies is proclaimed as the main development target of the national military
establishment. The preference is given to political, diplomatic and other non-military means of
counteraction to military threats. This counteraction is considered in the context of construction of a
democratic legal state, implementation of social-economic reforms, successive forming of the
general and comprehensive system of the international security and the maintenance and
strengthening of global peace.
The Military Doctrine stressed the necessity of adjusting the structure, composition and quantity of
the armed forces in accordance with the tasks of protection of military security; self-limitation of the
potential use of nuclear weaponry and its reduction to minimal levels, with the principle of military
policy being the safeguarding of international and national security.
The full text of the Military Doctrine published in the present collection releases us from the need to
retell its content. Nevertheless, we would like to note that the document under analysis is important
not only for those who are professionally engaged in the domain of defence. It possesses a wider
social-political value. It represents a public declaration of the State’s goals, intentions and priorities
in the military domain, an area traditionally hidden from society. At the same time, the authority,
pursuing legitimization of its actions, is motivated by public opinion to a much greater extent.
An attempt has been made to define the powers and competences of various actors – from the
President and Federal State authorities to enterprises, public associations and citizens. This
definition has been given a very general, abstract form: “under the procedure fixed by the Federal
Legislation”. Nevertheless, the military-doctrinal aims highlight that development and realization of
the military policy of the State cannot be an exclusive prerogative of a narrow circle of anonymous
persons.
The objectives, procedures and rules of the active application of the Armed Forces and other
troops found a rather clear definition in the Doctrine. The relevant aims intend to prevent any
arbitrary manipulation or shifting of the functions of one force structure by another.
These and other subjects are evidence of the fact that the provisions of the Doctrine correspond to
the standards and procedures of the UN and OSCE, in particular, to the recommendations and
norms, worded in the European ‘Code of Conduct for Military-Political Aspects of Security’ and
targeted at integration of the armed forces with civil society. The Military Doctrine of the Russian
Federation both reflects the conditions of military-civil relations in our country and lays the
foundation for their enhancement. It is obvious that the Doctrine itself cannot be regarded as the
final body of these regulations. They might be updated, added to and specified by taking into
account the changes of the military-political situation, character and content of military threats,
conditions of construction, development and application of the military establishment of the State.
In particular, the doctrinal distribution of powers is especially needed amongst the various
branches of authority in the domains of defence, delimitation of competence of civil and military
authorities in accomplishing the tasks of protection of security and defence of the country, as well
as the administrative and operational functions in the system of military management.
The Military Doctrine should have determined those sides of the military construction and military
activity, which are to have clear and detailed legal support. A lot has been done by us in this area
but much is still to be done. There is a lack of, and even an insufficient clarity, of the corresponding
legal acts, leaving too much room for arbitrary action.
Civil control over the military establishment and its activities can serve to prevent such situations. It
is one of the forms of political participation and, by estimation of the OSCE, an essential element of
stability and security. The Doctrinal definition of the contents, functions and mechanisms of civil
control could effectively promote its strengthening in the interest of both State and society alike.