Feet of clay: five cultural vulnerabilities of the Russian state in the face of the war in Ukraine

Abstract

The present paper aims at outlining five peculiar cultural vulnerabilities of the Russian state, which impede its military progress in Ukraine and might eventually result in a defeat. These include overcentralized structure of the dictatorship, culture of disregard to human life, lack of value proposition to neighbouring countries, embezzlement and lying. All these vulnerabilities are cultural in nature, permeating society from individual perceptions and preferences up to systemic practices and societal values, they do not lend themselves readily to replacement or reform. Thus, they represent significant handicaps of the Russian state in its effort to prevail in the war in Ukraine and further enlarge itself through conquest of neighbours.