RUSI JournalVOLUME 171ISSUE 6

Russia’s Defensive Depth

A generic illustration of Russia’s strategic depth. Image created by RUSI using AI (ChatGPT)

A generic illustration of Russia’s strategic depth. Image created by RUSI using AI (ChatGPT)


Russia has always had the advantage of strategic depth but, in this Research Article, a former Israeli fighter pilot and former British Army general consider how technology may be turning that premise on its head.

This article argues that contemporary technology enables Europe to convert Russia’s traditional advantage of strategic depth into an operational liability. It frames Russia as a conventional pacing threat that seeks a rapid fait accompli, and proposes a European defence concept centred on highly available precision firepower applied across the attacker’s depth.

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WRITTEN BY

Ron Tira

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Lieutenant General Sir Nick Borton KCB DSO MBE

RUSI Distinguished Fellow, Military Sciences

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