The global impact of Russia’s political and military strategies will be debated by senior officers and academics at a conference organised by the University of Plymouth and the Royal Navy.
Resurgent Russia, taking place on Tuesday 13 June, is being coordinated by the University’s Dartmouth Centre for Seapower and Strategy and the Navy’s Fleet Battle Staff.
It will explore the country’s growing global influence, with a particular focus on its recent activities in the Baltics and Syria, its military intelligence programme and maritime strategies.
The conference will take place at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth, with more than 130 confirmed attendees including the current Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Ben Key CBE, Commandant General of the Royal Marines and Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces, Major General Rob Magowan CBE, and the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Ships), Rear Admiral Alex Burton.
It will feature presentations from academics at the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, as well as other renowned researchers including:
- Dr Graeme P. Herd, Professor of Transnational Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies: Russian Strategic Culture – what can we learn from Russian activities in the Baltics;
- Dr Andreas Liaropoulos, Assistant Professor in University of Piraeus Department of International and European Studies: Russian Information Warfare;
- Dr David Reindorp, Head of Military Outreach at the University of Reading: Planning Issues associated with the Maritime Grey Space;
- Dr Rod Thornton, Senior Lecturer in the Defence Studies Department of Kings College London: Russia activity in the Syrian Conflict;
- Dr James Bergeron, Political Advisor to the Commander of Allied Maritime Command: Russian Maritime Strategy.
Dr Fotios Moustakis, Director of the Dartmouth Centre for Seapower and Strategy and Associate Professor of Strategic Studies at BRNC, said:
“This important conference between academic and military leaders will tackle one of the major challenges of our time. Amid a period of great global change and uncertainty, Russia’s international influence is rising. There is certainly the potential for that continue, and it is crucial that we try and stay ahead of the game in terms of our military strategies and intelligence.”
Established in 2015, the DCSS is made up of academics based at the University and the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. Its goals are to meet the clear and growing need to raise knowledge, awareness and understanding of strategic and defence issues as they relate to international maritime affairs and the use of seapower in the 21st century.
