Abstract
This paper employs an interpretive research framework to trace the evolution of the archetypal “frontiersman” in Russian Arctic strategic culture, arguing that a significant discursive shift is underway from the state-centric “Heroic Explorer” to the commercialized and coercive “Private Militia.” Historically, the Soviet and early post-Soviet Arctic narrative was dominated by the figure of the polar scientist, soldier, or state-appointed explorer—a heroic agent of the collective, conquering a hostile wilderness for national prestige and scientific progress. This figure embodied a sovereignty project that was intrinsically public and civilizational. However, under the pressures of contemporary geopolitics and economic opportunism, this archetype is being recalibrated. The emergence of Russian Private Military Companies (PMCs) signals the rise of a new frontiersman: a non-state, violent entrepreneur tasked with securing economic assets and projecting power with plausible deniability. This paper analyzes political rhetoric, policy documents, and media representations to interpret this transition. It concludes that this evolution is not merely a change in personnel but reflects a deeper transformation in the Russian state’s conception of sovereignty, where control is increasingly outsourced and the Arctic is framed not just as a frontier to be mastered, but as a contested borderland to be militarily secured by hybrid actors.
Presenters
Indrapal GurjarResearch Scholar, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Arctic, Frontiersman, PMCs, Russia, Sovereignty, Strategy
