The New "Great Game" in Transcaucasia as a threat to Russia's national security

The purpose of the study is to identify the key directions and mechanisms of geopolitical confrontation in the Transcaucasus, as well as to determine the extent of their impact on Russia’s national security. The study notes that a new geopolitical rivalry, reminiscent of the competition between empires in the 19th century, is currently unfolding in the Caucasus. It is indicated that the Russian civilizational code in the region is gradually being replaced by Anglo-Saxon and Turkish variants. External geopolitical actors are attempting to form a unified anti-Russian geopolitical belt in the Transcaucasus. The countries of the region, in order to justify their geopolitical shift away from Russia toward the West, have adopted the concept of de-Sovietization and de-Russification, which has been embraced by nearly all post-Soviet republics. The study emphasizes the need for Russia to develop a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening its influence in the Transcaucasus, advancing instruments of “soft power,” and enhancing the resilience of its national security system to external geopolitical challenges.