Political Science and Security Studies Journal

Development of Legal Basis for the Use of Private Military Companies Within the Framework of Foreign Policy Objectives of the Russian Federation: a Correlation Analysis

2025-07-14T20:25:21+03:00

This article presents an analytical examination of the views held by the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation regarding the use of private military companies (PMCs) as instruments for advancing the country’s foreign policy objectives.

The analysis establishes that the majority of Russian national security scholars and experts regard the Federation’s military command-and-control system as insufficiently adapted to the demands of modern network-centric warfare and therefore in need of comprehensive modernization. This modernization, they argue, should extend centralized command and control not only over Russia’s security and defense forces but also over civil society structures and commercial institutions.

The study further demonstrates that a range of strategic planning and legal documents of the Russian state envision the deployment of both regular and irregular armed formations to achieve its external policy goals. A clear correlation is observed between successive legislative initiatives aimed at regulating PMC activities and the key milestones in the evolution of these entities.

It is determined that all legislative efforts to legalize the operations of PMCs in the Russian Federation have been inherently reactive, designed primarily to pre-empt potential public discontent over legally ambiguous issues — including, but not limited to, questions of social entitlements, liability for offenses, and accountability for criminal conduct.

The findings indicate that the formal codification of PMC activities has been deliberately postponed relative to their practical deployment in conflict zones, thereby avoiding the creation of legal precedents that could formally integrate these entities into the state’s military command structure.

In conclusion, the paper argues that since the use of conventional armed forces is strictly regulated at both the national and international levels, the resource potential of PMCs offers a mechanism for circumventing international legal constraints. Russia’s doctrinal approach to the use of force thus conceptually legitimizes the transfer—or deliberate obscuring—of state responsibility for the escalation or initiation of hostilities onto sub-conventional actors.

Foreign Language as an Instrument of Cultural Security and Resilience Under Hybrid Threats

2025-09-01T13:34:07+03:00

The article explores the role of foreign language education as a strategic instrument of cultural security and resilience in conditions of hybrid warfare. It aims to determine how integrating linguistic and intercultural components into professional military education strengthens the ability to counter informational and cultural aggression.

The study applies a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches, including analysis and systematization of Ukrainian and international research on cultural security, comparative analysis of educational practices, and abstraction, induction, and deduction to formulate conceptual and practical conclusions.

The research establishes that foreign language learning, particularly through intercultural and practice-oriented methods such as role-playing games and simulations, enhances students’ critical thinking, media literacy, and intercultural competence. The experience of teaching Turkish in Ukrainian military institutions demonstrates that combining linguistic and cultural training improves officers’ readiness for communication and decision-making under hybrid conditions.

The study substantiates the theoretical link between language acquisition and cultural security, expanding the understanding of language as both a communicative and strategic component of national resilience.

The proposed methodology offers a framework for integrating intercultural modules into language curricula for military and higher education institutions, promoting adaptability and resilience under hybrid threats.

The article provides an innovative conceptualization of foreign language learning as a tool of cultural defense, illustrating how linguistic education contributes to safeguarding national identity and resilience in the face of hybrid aggression.

Changes in the Foreign Policy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Context of the Russian-Ukrainian War

2025-09-15T16:16:34+03:00

The article examines the transformation of Germany’s foreign and security policy after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The research aims to determine whether the Zeitenwende announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz constitutes a complete reorientation of the Federal Republic of Germany’s (FRG) foreign policy or an adaptive modification within its historical continuity.

The study applies a qualitative analytical approach based on Charles Hermann’s model of foreign policy change, complemented by the theoretical interpretations of Patrick Mello and Tobias Bunde. Methods of document and discourse analysis are used to examine official strategies (e.g., National Security Strategy of Germany, 2023), policy speeches, party programs, and expert publications.

The research identifies profound structural changes in the FRG’s defense and energy policies, the redefinition of its international role as a guarantor of European security, and the partial abandonment of long-standing foreign policy paradigms such as Wandel durch Handel. Despite these shifts, the Zeitenwende remains an ongoing process rather than a completed reorientation.

The findings contribute to the debate on foreign policy adaptation versus transformation under systemic shocks, refining Hermann’s model in the context of democratic states.

The study offers insights for European policy-makers regarding strategic autonomy and leadership in a post-American security order.

This research provides one of the first comprehensive assessments of Germany’s Zeitenwende through a structured theoretical lens, linking conceptual change with empirical political developments.

“The New Industry Brazil” Program in the Structural Transformation of the State Economy

2025-09-07T12:41:39+03:00

This article examines the role of the New Industry Brazil (NIB) program in driving structural transformation within the Brazilian economy. Launched in January 2024 under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, NIB seeks to reverse deindustrialization, foster technological innovation, and align economic growth with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary objective of this study is to assess NIB’s contribution to structural change, with particular emphasis on reindustrialization, green technologies, and ecological integration. The analysis employs a mixed-methods approach, combining policy review, econometric modeling, and comparative assessment with previous industrial strategies.

The findings reveal that NIB’s six mission-oriented pillars have mobilized approximately R$ 3.4 trillion in investments (R$ 1.2 trillion public and R$ 2.2 trillion private), leading to a 3.7% increase in manufacturing output in 2024, an improvement in Brazil’s UNIDO ranking from 70th to 40th place, and significant progress in strategic sectors such as defense (R$ 112.9 billion allocated under Mission 6). Nonetheless, the program continues to face challenges related to bureaucratic inefficiencies and regional disparities.

Theoretically, this study advances the understanding of mission-oriented industrial policy in emerging economies, underscoring the relevance of green structuralism in Latin American development. Practically, it highlights the need for stronger public–private partnerships and balanced regional distribution of industrial benefits, while outlining sustainable investment opportunities for the private sector.

The originality of this research lies in the integration of real-time 2024–2025 data with historical comparisons, positioning NIB as a neo-developmentalist strategy in the context of post-pandemic recovery and the global energy transition.

The Emergence of Amotekun: Analyzing Underlying Factors and Motivations

2025-08-12T20:39:53+03:00

The study aims to examine the underlying factors and motivations that led to the establishment of Amotekun, a community-based security network in southwestern Nigeria. It seeks to determine whether its creation was primarily a response to escalating insecurity or a manifestation of Yoruba socio-political aspirations for regional autonomy.

The research adopts a qualitative and exploratory design anchored in Situational Crime Prevention Theory. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 31 Amotekun members in Ondo State, selected using convenience and venue-based sampling. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the transcribed data and identify recurrent themes.

Results indicate that Amotekun emerged as a reaction to the inefficacy of Nigeria’s centralized security system, addressing crimes such as kidnapping, robbery, and farmer–herder conflicts. However, evidence also suggests ethnic exclusivity and potential alignment with the Yoruba socio-political movement (Afenifere), implying dual objectives—security provision and regional identity promotion.

The study validates the applicability of Situational Crime Prevention Theory in explaining informal security initiatives, showing how localized interventions can alter crime opportunities within community contexts.

The findings underscore the need for clearer legal frameworks defining Amotekun’s jurisdiction and coordination with federal agencies to prevent jurisdictional conflicts.

This research provides rare empirical insights into Amotekun’s formation, linking security governance with regional political dynamics and contributing to the broader discourse on community policing in emerging democracies.

Remittance-Receiver Households' Behaviour on Agricultural Productivity in the Rural Economy

2025-10-25T12:48:07+03:00

Remittances in the rural economy are considered a lifeline for remittance-receiving households, as they spend their money within the local economy, helping accelerate domestic money flow and maximize social welfare. In this research, the authors surveyed 200 households across four sub-districts using a snowball sampling method. The main objective is to examine the effect of remittance-receiving households’ behaviour on agro-output maximization.

In Model 01, for one-season paddy cultivation, AFS, HNP, AGH, ESH, and RHI show positive and statistically significant relationships with paddy production, indicating a favourable impact on agricultural productivity and local economic development. Conversely, HSZ demonstrates a negative and statistically significant relationship with paddy cultivation.

In Model 02, which focuses on fish cultivation, AFS, HMF, AGH, ESH, and RHI also show positive and significant effects on fish productivity, while micro-credit plays a significant role in supporting fish production.

Overall, remittance-receiving households’ behaviour influences agricultural productivity in the rural economy. When a family receives remittances, the behaviour of the household head affects regional economic development. Rural welfare maximization depends partly on productive household investment behaviour, and a healthy investment climate can be fostered through a stable inflow of remittances.

Experimental Verification of the Effectiveness of Foreign Language Aptitude Assessment Methodology of Candidates to Ukrainian Higher Military Education Institutions of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

2025-11-05T12:09:15+02:00

The article presents the results of an experimental verification of the effectiveness of Foreign Language Aptitude Assessment (FLAA) methodology of candidates to Ukrainian higher military education institutions (HMEI) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The hypothesis, structure, and outcomes of the experiment are formulated; the content and tasks of the ascertaining and final stages of the study are analyzed, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. The main part of the article describes the experimental procedure and its results, which involved the selection of participants from among applicants in small groups. The experimental study was conducted through a correlational comparison of the outcomes of FLAA administered on the Moodle platform using the author-developed test tasks, with expert evaluations of the candidates, as well as their academic performance based on modular assessment data. The results of the experiment confirmed that the proposed diagnostic assessment model is effective, and the methodology is characterized by high validity, reliability, and practicality: the indicators are stable over time, the level of correlation is nearly perfect, no statistically significant differences were found between mean values, and the distribution of differences does not indicate the presence of systematic error.