ABSTRACT
The disintegration of the Soviet Union brought 15 independent republics onto the world stage. This ranks as an event of unparalleled historical importance, shifting the balance of power on the Eurasian landmass and altering the global system of international relations. The very concept of the ‘near abroad’, as noted, suggested some sort of intermediate status between sovereign statehood and traditional dependence for Russia’s new neighbours. Russia was linked by centuries of political and human contacts with these new states but now had to find new forms of interaction. While the USSR might have collapsed with relatively little violence, the disintegration of the great empires of the past suggests that the biggest danger comes from conflicts between successor states and the threat of outside countries seeking to take advantage of the power vacuum. The arbitrariness of the borders, the intermingling of peoples and nations, and a host of unresolved problems, including energy imbalances and transport networks, provided fertile ground for conflict.
