title: Russia's search for ontological security and the Ukraine invasion
abstract: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 astounded political commentators across the globe. Seemingly nonsensical from a physical security perspective, the announcement of invasion resulted in economic sanctions against Russia, the rapid decline of President Vladimir Putin’s reputation in the international sphere, and dissent amongst Russian citizens. This article contends that while invasion is difficult to justify from a physical security approach, the pursuit of ontological security is a
journal: Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies