Russian Military History: The Enigma of a Great Power with Indefensible Frontiers

“I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.”
- Winston Churchill
An examination in the rise of Russia from Mongol tributary vassal to global superpower reveals underlying weaknesses that gives insight into its decision to invade Ukraine and why its military has performed far below the expectations most experts predicted.