THE RUSSIAN WARS IN GEORGIA AND UKRAINE AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Abstract

In the article, the subject of which is Russia’s war in Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine (since 2014), the author argues that according to the norms of international law, Russia’s actions against sovereign states should be classified as aggression. Accordingly, Russia’s aggressive policy is the result of its return to the authoritarian path of development and imperial policy of the past. Particular attention should be paid to Russia’s policy in the field of low-intensity conflict management in the post-Soviet space, where it participates both as a conflicting party and as a mediator. As a result of Russia’s military aggression against Georgia and Ukraine, the Kremlin actually occupied the territories of South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Crimea, and part of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The asymmetry of potentials between Russia, on the one hand, and Georgia and Ukraine, on the other, prevents the latter from independently resisting Russian aggression and occupation. Therefore, diplomatic, legal, economic and military support of Georgia and Ukraine from the international community in respect of compliance with the norms of international law, the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-defense is very important and necessary.