Dr. Jahangir Karami, speaking in an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, stated that the 2021 National Security Document of Russia is significantly different from other Russian national security documents that are presented every six years, adding: In Russia, many national documents are published, the number of which is mentioned in Russian sources as close to 140 documents, in addition to the document “National Security”, documents such as “Concept of Foreign Policy”, “Military Roadmap” and “Social and Economic Development” are considered to be vital documents of the country; while the national security document can be considered more fundamental and important than other three documents.

This senior analyst of Russia affairs explained study of Russia’s global, regional and national situation and presentation of national priorities as well as selection of strategies related to those priorities as the features of Russia’s national document in the field of security strategy and said: Based on the strategies presented in the document, the future vision of the country for the next six years will be drawn.

Serious differences between Russia’s 2021 National Security Document and previous documents

He added: One of the differences between this document and previous documents is the great emphasis on human and social issues, livelihood and human development. Supporting society, the various strata, and in particular helping the vulnerable, is one of the top eight priorities for the Putin administration; whereas in previous documents such a special priority has not been specified for the country. It has also been emphasized that protection of traditional spiritual and moral foundations of the Russian Federation is of vital importance.

Karami said the emphasis on information security in the document reflects the new situation in Russia and the world in the field of cyberspace, Internet and social networks and continued: This document deals with the issue of economic security, which indicates Russia’s economic vulnerability in various fields. In that document it has been pointed out in details that dependence on exports of raw materials, including energy, oil and gas, is a major problem, and that dependence on about two-thirds of exports to those items is not a good sign for the Russian economy.

The university professor mentioned the attention paid to Russian traditions, spiritual and moral values, culture, religion and memory and historical memories of the people as other issues emphasized in the Russian National Security Document and said: Strategic stability and global strategic issues are also prioritized in that document and issues that Russia has in those areas are emphasized.

He reminded: The main feature of the document is the emphasis on the social, cultural, religious and traditional dimensions of Russia, which in a way signifies the severance of ties and intellectual ties with the Western world and issues of liberalism and democracy and issues from the late Soviet period under Mr. Gorbachev, especially in 1990s, which were of high priority for Russia.

Karami explained: At that time, relations with the West, acceptance of liberal ideology and its crystallization in the Russian constitution, and the tendency towards liberal capitalism and privatization were among the factors that connected Russia to the West; but in the 2021 document there is no sign of the concepts related to the Western world and emphasizes Russia’s specific issues and the political culture of statehood and socialism in the face of the new world, which prioritizes most individual freedoms and the economic market system.

Russia’s priorities in modern world

The senior analyst of Russia affairs went on to say that the national security document is not a foreign policy document, but has referred to it in two discussions, adding: In the second part, entitled “Russia in the Modern World; Trends and Possibilities” it addresses this issue and emphasizes that the world has changed a lot over the past decades and the number of powerful governments and their independence of action on various issues has increased. The structure of the international system has changed and a new international order has gradually emerged, which poses new challenges in the areas of inequality, interventions and competition, as well as growth of instability and radicalism.

Karami said: In the view of Russian officials in that document, the desire of Western countries has been coordinated to maintain their hegemony, the crisis of modern models and tools of economic development, increasing inequalities in development of governments, increasing social inequality, desire of transnational corporations to limit the role of governments by intensifying domestic challenges and political problems and increasing conflicts between governments have led to the weakening of the influence of international institutions and reducing the effectiveness of global security.

The associate professor of the Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, added: It has been stated in the document that in the area of increasing geopolitical tensions, Russia’s foreign policy emphasizes on a stable system of international relations based on international law, principles of global security and deepening of multilateral cooperation with the central role of the United Nations. It has also been emphasized that the growth of instability and geopolitical conflict and escalation of conflicts between governments are accompanied by an increase in the threat of using military force.

He went on to describe other clauses in Russia’s national security document, saying: This document addresses one of Russia’s major concerns, which is undermining of the norms and principles of international law; weakening and destruction of existing international legal institutions and the continued dismantling of the system of treaties and arms control agreements and noted that those events have led to increased tensions, aggravated military and political situation near the borders of Russia.

Karami added: Measures of some countries with an aim of undermining the cohesion of Eurasian countries and damaging Russia’s relations with its traditional allies are also among the issues raised in that document. From Moscow’s point of view, some countries call Russia a threat and even a military enemy. At the same time, the risk of armed conflict escalating into local and regional wars, including those involving nuclear powers, is increasing.

Another important point raised in that document from the university professor’s point of view is the tendency to isolate Russia and the use of double standards in international politics, which hinders the effectiveness of multilateral cooperation in important areas for the international community, including ensuring security for all countries. In this regard, issues such as dispute resolution,, fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, organized crimes, spread of infectious diseases, ensuring security of international information and solving environmental problems have been mentioned.

Karami added: In that document, attention has been paid to the problem of moral leadership and t creation of an attractive ideological foundation for the future world order. Authors of the document claim that in the face of the crisis of Western liberal model, a number of governments are trying to deliberately destroy traditional values, distort world history, and reconsider views on Russia’s role and position.

He stressed: From the Kremlin’s point of view, unfriendly countries are trying to use the socio-economic problems in the Russian Federation to destroy its internal unity, incite and radicalize a protest movement, support marginalized groups and divisions in the Russian society. Indirect methods are also increasingly used to create long-term instability in Russia.

Russia’s attention to capabilities of India and China

The senior Russia affairs analyst continued: The document states that Russia must first act through strategic stability, which is more closely linked to international strategic arms deals with the United States, which the United States has gradually withdrawn from, and while maintaining those agreements, do not allow them to be destabilized, because they are the guarantors of international strategic stability. In addition, through the United Nations and its affiliated institutions, necessary measures should be taken with regard to the relations between Russia and the powerful countries of the world, including India and China, and other countries and institutions such as Shanghai, BRICS and Asian institutions

Karami added: In addition; in the discussion of strategic stability and effective international cooperation it has also been emphasized that Russia must adopt an integrated, independent and multilateral foreign policy in which attention to the Eastern powers is of paramount importance. The document highlights the importance of China and India both in the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and also in bilateral issues.

Regarding Russia’s attention to the impact of Western pressures on the country’s economy and people’s livelihood, the university professor said: In that document, what Russia sees as a threat is more concerned with the transformation of the international system from the past to an ambiguous one. It is true that the international system has become more multilateral, but at the same time it has the potential for extreme insecurity, has increased instability and is spreading radicalism, and centrifugal forces playing a major role.

He said: Formation of a new international system poses many challenges in Russia’s point of view while the new system also brings with it opportunities, including moving away from the unipolar, Western-centric characteristics of the past decades.

Impact of Western sanctions on 50% fall of Russia’s economy

Referring to economic pressures and Western sanctions against Russia, which have led to internal problems in that country, Karami said: Since 2014, when Russia was sanctioned, the country’s economy has fallen by about 50 percent. We are witnessing the effects in terms of capital flight, declining foreign investment, devaluation of national currency and halving of GDP, and combination of those has made the economic situation not very clear. Although Russia has gradually recovered from the danger of economic collapse, the pressure on the people in this area is enormous.

The expert on Russia affairs continued by stating that the Russian government has put protection of people’s livelihood and quality of life as a national priority on the agenda, added: In the discussion of proposing a strategy for national security and interests, which is the third part of the document, 9 strategies have been proposed, two of which are specifically related to human, social, economic and domestic issues.

With regard to Russia’s possibilities to achieve the goals of the document and their implementation, he clarified: This document is 44 pages and in the fifth strategy and in the discussion of economic security, Russia should try to ensure its own economic security despite Western pressures and issues arising from the sanctions.

Proposed solutions for strengthening Russia’s economic sovereignty

Karami continued: In this regard, various solutions have been proposed and strengthening of the country’s economic sovereignty through development of national infrastructure and national markets, reducing dependence on the dollar through national and international mechanisms, including cooperation with partner countries of Russia, mainly China, increasing investment in economy, reducing energy dependence, boosting export and diversifying it, and topics related to the development of science and technology, has been emphasized.

The university professor added: In that document, it is mentioned that in the evolution of the international system and in this transitional stage, economic power is not monopolized by the West, but new economic centers have emerged and the rise of those centers of power, as well as the crisis in the Western liberal model in the economic, cultural and social spheres, will cause the financial and monetary system to gradually change, and in this transformation, the dollar should not have its former place.