On Tuesday 15 June 2010, Dr Alexey D Muraviev, Coordinator of International Relations and National Security Programmes for the faculty of Humanities, Curtin University of Technology, spoke on 'Russian Naval Power-21: What's on The Horizon?'
During the Cold War strategic confrontation, the Soviet Union emerged as a global maritime power with the world’s second largest navy. Following the collapse of the USSR in December 1991, Russian naval power has undergone a dramatic transformation, resulting in the significant reduction of operational activity and its numerical strength. Such rapid change provided grounds for assumptions that the new Russia would abandon Soviet approaches to the use of sea power and would focus entirely on its continentalist strategic agenda.
Since Putin’s rise to power in 2000, there have been important grounds for believing that after years of decline and neglect, Russia’s political military leadership has strongly supported the systematic restoration of the country’s maritime capability. The navy has intensified its operational activity, including out-of-area deployments and an ambitious naval construction program is underway. Still, the force continues to confront some serious challenges.
His presentation critically analysed the current state of Russian naval power, trends in operational activity (including the Indo-Pacific), naval construction, and the role of the maritime angle of Russia’s contemporary and future strategic and defence policy.
Dr Alexey Muraviev has over 40 publications in the area of national and international security, including two books (one co-authored) and two research monographs. His research interests include Russia’s strategic and defence policy and Russia as a Pacific power. Alexey is a member of the Australian Member Committee, Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region (AU-CSCAP) and a member of Russia-NATO Experts Group. He is also a research fellow at the University of Melbourne.
