Abstract

ANORVE ANORVE, Daniel. The Annexation of Crimea: A Response to the Russian Federation's Demographic Crisis. Foro int [online]. 2016, vol.56, n.3, pp.578-613. ISSN 0185-013X.

The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014 has brought realpolitik into focus once more. On the one hand, the Russian Federation is a resurgent power; on the other, its declining population gives rise to military, economic, fiscal and national security problems. This qualitative paper suggests a demographic realism approach as an alternative explanation for the annexation of Crimea. This annexation helps to solve different bottlenecks that compromise the consolidation of the Russian Federation as a regional power. The decision to annex Crimea to the Russian Federation is consistent with a number of official documents that seek to respond to the demographic crisis in Russia. Scenarios that could slow down Russian territorial expansion are analyzed.

Keywords : demographic realism; demographic crisis; expansionism; Russian Federation; Crimea.