Security and Defence Quarterly

5-20

Authors: Sławomir Piotrowski

The crisis in eastern Ukraine and Crimea is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of security currently facing the international community. In pursuing its objectives, the state is often guided by different motives, but the common denominator change in the approach to cooperation with Russia is now Ukraine. The author analyses the changing geostrategic situation surrounding Russia, which is the result of its involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. This has also been analysed by countries like China, Japan, India, Turkey and Middle East countries.

35-51

Authors: Marcin Urbański

In this article, the author examines the Arctic region in the context of the energy and security policy of the Russian Federation. The author emphasises the factors which currently influence the increasing interest in the Arctic of the countries which claim rights to this region, which are: the US, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the Russian Federation. Among the most important factors indicating the essence of the Arctic, the author points out, inter alia: plenty of energy deposits, which because of the changing climate, are more available, the size of the Arctic area and new transport routes. The author indicates the possibilities of using the Russian Federation policy regarding the Arctic in order to, among other things, strengthen the country’s international position. The author also presents the extent to which claiming the right to exclusive exploitation of mineral resources by the Russian Federation is the real motive of its actions and its intention to totally subordinate the Arctic area. Simultaneously, an attempt is made to answer the question whether the Arctic is likely to be a place of military conflict in the future? The article also examines the issues related to the legal status of the Russian Federation regarding the Arctic, the political activity of the Russian Federation in this region and the possibility of the Russian Federation exploiting energy resources in the Arctic region. The article brings together the issues connected with the Russian Federation and its policy in the region of the Arctic Ocean, and also portrays the importance of the Arctic in the changing international security environment.

75-98

Authors: Milton Paul Davis

Modern political thinkers have ushered in the theoretical concepts of modern alliances and collective security/defense. Before these political theories were turned into modern organizations, many radical changes had to take place in how international relations were perceived in Europe and the world. These dynamic changes started at the end of the Thirty Years War, with the signing of the Westphalia treaties in 1648, and came to fruition with the forming of the League of Nations in 1920. This article explores this 272 year historical process including its impact on the population of the Baltic Sea countries.

121-133

Authors: Robert Kobryński

In this article, the author presents some common areas for the categories of power and security. Diagnosis of the security environment of a political unit should include both A qualitative and quantitative approach to the assessment of its power and that of neighbouring countries. Such comparisons of balance of power between the countries give the security assessment a broader range. it may be used, in addition, by design for the foreign and security policy of a state.

147-163

Authors: Radim Zahradníček, Pavel Otřísal, Zdeněk Skaličan

Managing the consequences after using weapons of mass destruction is considered a classic task of the Chemical Corps units and formations. Restoring essential combat capability of troops and recovering from chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear event is a primary goal of operations, which are termed “CBRN consequence management”. The paper discusses the current approach to the topic in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and provides notes from operational experience that can lead to the development of relevant military capabilities. Based on an analysis of theoretical and practical approaches, the authors propose capability areas of modern Chemical Corps units that support CBRN consequence management operations.