| Summary/Abstract |
"Fifty years ago the streets of Leningrad taught me a lesson: if a fight is inevitable, hit first." These words by Vladimir Putin have become a most quoted phrase of the past fall. Said at the Valdai International Discussion Club, it unambiguously conveys the underlying principle of Russia's current foreign policy. As Sergei Minasyan writes in his article, this is the second time the Kremlins abrupt and large-scale military-political actions have caught everyone off guard. In his opinion, the Middle East will most likely be the focal point of Russia's activities in the coming - and probably long - period.
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