The Fox of the North: Vladimir Putin's Grand Strategy

Napoleon, the leader of the united West, called Kutuzov the “Northern Fox” before he was utterly defeated… For twenty years Vladimir Putin has been accused of lacking a strategy—and, even more so, an ideology. But is it really so? Alexander Kazakov argues that it isn’t: there is a strategy—an exquisite one—and there is an ideology—historically conditioned, turned toward the future, and itself a strategic weapon in global confrontation.

“As has been noted more than once, with the years Putin becomes harder and harder to read—somewhat elusive. Alexander Kazakov tried to decipher Putin, perhaps in the most secret place of all—at the level of grand strategy. I don’t know what Putin himself would say about this, but if Kazakov is right, then Putin’s plan about Russia becomes here, after all, more transparent and clearer.

What matters is the author’s attempt to ‘extract’ ideology from Putin’s statements and political gestures—because, alas, modern times don’t lend themselves to ideologizing that is stated in a straightforward way. Nevertheless, it seems that Kazakov managed to answer those who claim that our society has no ideology at all. It does exist.”

Zahar Prilepin