title: Mobilizing Compatriots: Russia's Strategy, Tactics, and Influence in the Former Soviet Union
abstract: Abstract : Understanding the Russian governments attitudes and policies toward ethnic Russians, Russian speakers, and others with ties to the Russian Federation in other former Soviet countries has become critically important in the wake of Moscows seizure of Crimea and support for eastern Ukrainian separatists-both of which Russia has justified as necessary to defend these populations. In this paper, we have sought to provide a preliminary assessment of Moscows perspectives, policies, strategic