Russia’s participation in peacekeeping operations

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Peacekeeping operations of the United Nations are carried out in order to prevent or eliminate threats to peace and security through joint enforcement actions, if the measures of economic and political nature were inadequate and inefficient. Decisions regarding establishment, composition, use and financing of the peacekeeping forces are taken by the UN Security Council. Strategic control of such forces is realized by the Military Staff Committee.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council the Russian Federation is responsible for maintaining peace and security all over the world. In recent years, the military men of the Russian Armed Forces along with the other members of the international community have repeatedly participated in prevention or elimination of internecine and inter-ethnic conflicts in the territories of both the former USSR Republics and in the foreign far-abroad countries. Geographic scale of such places is vast: South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, Tajikistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Metohija, Angola, Chad, Sierra Leone. There Russian servicemen had to prove themselves as experienced and highly qualified peacekeepers capable of performing the tasks qualitatively. At present, the military formation of the Russian Armed Forces takes part in UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan.

the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is formed in order to prepare the Russian troops to take part in operations to maintain international peace and security. Its soldiers are part of peacekeeping contingents according to the decision of the President of the Russian Federation and in the interests of the Commonwealth of Independent States, UN, OSCE, NATO-Russia Council and, if necessary, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Another important aspect of Russia’s participation in international peacekeeping activities is sending to the UN missions of military observers. They serve in the Middle East, Western Sahara, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sudan. It is noteworthy that our country has one of the first places in the world in the number of military observers at the United Nations.

At the same time, Russia has a special responsibility for maintaining security in the CIS. So,joint peacekeeping forces of Russia and Moldova are still in Transnistria for peaceful settlement of the armed conflict and on the basis of the appropriate agreement.

In addition, the Russian troops are peacekeepers of the Collective Security Treaty. This contingent was formed in October 2007. It is intended, above all, to participate in peacekeeping operations in the territories of the CSTO member states (under the decision of the Collective Security Council of the CSTO), as well as outside of these states (on the basis of mandates from the UN Security Council).

It is worth noting that today the role and importance of peacekeeping in development of the Russian Armed Forces are increasing. The reform of the Russian Armed Forces, in particular, assumes an increase in the willingness of our military units to participate in international peacekeeping operations – both for maintaining eace and security in conflict zones and protecting the interests of Russia and the lives of its citizens.