title: The Footprints of the Bear. Why does the Return of Russia to Latin America Matter?
abstract: This paper examines the motives behind the ‘return’ of Russia to Latin America and the means employed for that end: general commercial relations, arms sales, energy deals, niche technology related to nuclear science, naval and air power displays and high-level political meetings. The growth of Russian presence in Latin America in the 21<sup>st</sup> century has not been even. There is a clustering in time around events via which Russian leadership tried to alter the status quo near its borders, 
journal: Iberoamericana – Nordic Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies