“A Crucial Sphere for Our Security”

After 11 September 2001, Russia entered into a strategic alignment with the United States and the West in the war against terrorism, and the alignment included Russian support for a Western military presence in Central Asia.
At the same time, Russian policy in Central Asia focused on military and security cooperation, and Russian or Russian-led military bases were established in the region.

This study investigates the Russian response to the appearance of Western bases in Central Asia. What has influenced Russia’s policy in Central Asia after 9/11? In addition the author considers the implications of Russia’s policy for the Russian-American bilateral relationship.

Ingerid M. Opdahl is research fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She holds a cand.polit. degree (political science) from the University of Oslo, and an MSc in russian and post Soviet studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.