ABSTRACT
The development of the Non-offensive defence (NOD) concept by Western scholars reflected the phenomenon and, significantly, very similar notions of "reasonable sufficiency for defence" began appearing, albeit with some delay, in the USSR. The practice of some countries, e.g., Austria, Switzerland and Sweden is close to that prescribed by NOD literature. The Soviet Union thus included NOD principles into its doctrinal principle of "sufficient defence", in contrast to the West where NOD remained an unofficial concept, promoted by individual scholars, NGO and opposition parties. In the former Soviet Union the NOD principles were thus boiled down to the concept of "defensive sufficiency", which was elevated to a main element in the military doctrine. The dissolution of the USSR created a unique situation as regards the protection of national interests. More than 25 million Russians found themselves outside Russia. In Azerbaijan and Armenia, the elaboration of documents defining the concepts in their military doctrines remain at a very preliminary stage.
