Military Defection During the Collapse of the Soviet Union

How did armed forces behave in response to dissent, political instability and territorial disintegration during the collapse of the Soviet Union? To date, substantial attention has been cast on the 1991 August coup attempt, yet our understanding of other potential instances of defection remains inco...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Central European journal of international & security studies 2022, Vol.16 (2), p.26-53
Main Author: Anisin, Alexei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed forces
Civil-military relations
Comparative analysis
Coups d'etat
Defections
Health care
Political power
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Summary:How did armed forces behave in response to dissent, political instability and territorial disintegration during the collapse of the Soviet Union? To date, substantial attention has been cast on the 1991 August coup attempt, yet our understanding of other potential instances of defection remains incomplete. This study undertakes a comparative analysis of defection throughout 15 Soviet republics. Results reveal that 13 republics experienced subordinates defecting and three experienced commanders defecting. In total, four different pathways led to defection. These findings produce the first comparative observations of defection in this historical time period and lend support to the claim that this phenomenon is equifinal in nature.
ISSN:1802-548X
1805-482X
DOI:10.51870/UNYW3133