Description
In April 2021, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced plans to create the country’s first robotic military unit, signaling the importance that the Russian leadership attributes to integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomy and robotics into its armed forces. This article explores the place of these technologies in Russia’s grand strategy for what it perceives to be a multipolar, post-hegemonic world. Grand strategy is conceptualised as Russia’s long-term goals in relation to its place in the international system. Based on interviews with foreign policy experts and military analysts conducted in Moscow as part of my ongoing doctoral research, I demonstrate how technological innovation is directly related to Russia’s self-perception as a historical great power, while military AI and robotics are viewed as key pre-requisites to possess in order for Russia to be recognised as one of ‘poles’ in the modern multipolar world. By diving into how the relationship between military AI, autonomy and robotics and Russian grand strategy has evolved, the article contributes to conceptualising Russia’s role in the global technological competition.
Key words: Russian foreign policy and security, emerging technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence, great power status
