Weaponizing Occupation: Russia’s Strategic Use of Territorial Control in Ukraine

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of Russia’s territorial occupation strategies in Ukraine, analyzing how occupation has transformed from a traditional instrument of territorial expansion into a sophisticated weapon of strategic coercion in modern great power politics. Employing a qualitative case study methodology that incorporates document analysis, historical process tracing, and theore tical framework synthesis, the research integrates offensive realism, coercive diplomacy theory, and strategic culture theory to analyze Russia’s occupation strategies from 2014 to 2025. The analysis re veals that Russia has developed a sophisticated approach to weaponizing territorial occupation beyond mere land acquisition. This strategy operates through three mechanisms: 1) maximizing relative power through strategic leverage rather than territorial gain, 2) employing occupation as an instrument of co ercive diplomacy, and 3) implementing hybrid control mechanisms that combine Soviet-era population management with modern information warfare. The study demonstrates how these mechanisms col lectively undermine Ukrainian sovereignty while challenging traditional conflict resolution frameworks. This research provides the first comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding territorial oc cupation as a strategic weapon in contemporary great power competition, contributing to international relations theory by reconceptualizing occupation beyond traditional territorial control paradigms and offering practical insights for developing more effective international security mechanisms.