History of Russian Expansionist Wars and Colonial Ambitions Since 1864
Adel Bashqawi
April 20, 2025
This article sheds light on the crimes committed by the undisputed perpetrators of violence against nations and peoples. It focuses on the Russian military’s long history of expansionist adventures, which have victimized dozens of nations. These events range from the occupation of Circassia—culminating in the fall of the Circassian capital, Sochi, and the completion of the Circassian genocide on May 21, 1864—to the morally offensive hosting of the Winter Olympics in Circassian Sochi in February 2014. [1]
This theatrical display of power continued with the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea and parts of southeastern Ukraine in 2014, followed by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. These actions were carried out with the apparent goal of occupying or even annexing Ukrainian territory into the Russian state—reminiscent of the infamous Soviet era. These moves ignored the fundamental fact that Ukraine is an independent, sovereign nation and a member of the United Nations.
All of this has occurred despite Russia being a signatory to the Budapest Memorandum of December 1994, alongside Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The agreement guaranteed Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty in exchange for its relinquishment of the nuclear arsenal inherited from the Soviet Union. [2]
Systematic Expansion Policies
Due to the importance of the subject, a list of imperial and colonial wars, conflicts, invasions, and tragedies perpetrated by the Russian state—under its various historical guises—since 1864 is presented below. Due to space constraints, these events are listed without detailed elaboration.
- 1864 – The occupation and annexation of Circassia after a brutal war of extermination known as the Circassian Genocide, marked by ethnic cleansing and mass deportation. [3] [4]
Between 1864 and 1917, Russia was involved in several major military conflicts, including:
- Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) – A war against the Ottoman Empire that expanded Russian influence in the Balkans.
- Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) – A conflict over territorial disputes in Manchuria and Korea, which ended in a humiliating Russian defeat.
- World War I (1914–1917) – Russia fought as part of the Allied Powers against Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.
- Central Asian Conquests (1864–1885) – A series of military campaigns that brought regions like Turkestan and Khiva under Russian control. [5]
From the beginning of the 20th century, other notable instances include:
- Finland (1939–1940) – The Soviet Union invaded Finland during the Winter War.
- Poland (1939) – The Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland during World War II.
- Baltic States (1940) – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.
- Hungary (1956) – Soviet forces crushed the Hungarian Revolution.
- Czechoslovakia (1968) – The Soviet Union invaded to suppress the Prague Spring.
- Afghanistan (1979–1989) – A decade-long war following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- Georgia (2008) – Russia invaded Georgia during the Russo-Georgian War.
- Ukraine (2014–present) – Russia annexed Crimea and, in 2022, launched a full-scale invasion. [6]
Other key events not addressed above include:
- The First Chechen War (1994)
- The Second Chechen War (1999) [7]
- Russia’s Military Intervention in the Syrian Civil War (2015) [8]
Conclusion
The historical trajectory of Russian expansionism—from the Circassian genocide in 1864 to the ongoing war in Ukraine—reveals a consistent pattern of military aggression and imperial ambition. These actions have repeatedly violated the sovereignty of nations and the rights of peoples, often with devastating consequences. Recognizing this legacy is not merely an academic exercise; it is essential for understanding the present and shaping a more just future. As history continues to echo in current events, the responsibility falls on the international community, scholars, and informed citizens alike to confront these realities, demand accountability, and uphold the principles of sovereignty and human dignity.
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References:
[1] Bashqawi, The Circassian Miracle, p. 398
[3] Bashqawi, The Circassian Miracle, p. 293
[5] https://www.onwar.com/states/russia.html#google_vignette
[6] https://247wallst.com/special-report/2023/06/23/20-wars-russia-has-fought-since-1917/
[7] https://www.historynet.com/russias-forever-war-chechnya/
[8] https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3180.html
