Freedom House Chapter 7 Bullying the Neighbors: Frozen Conflicts, the Near Abroad, and Other Innovations Vladimir Putin’s publicists have used the phrase ’ _ ’ “sovereign democracy" to describe the political “Certainly within the next four to five system that evolved in Russia under his leadership. years [Russia] will have the ability In practice, however, Putin's regime respects neither to conduct operatio ns in eastern democracy nor sovereignty. Ukraine and pressure the Baltics Sovereign democracy bears no more resemblance to and tse SMe Georgia and do other the unmodified original than did previous variants: things, without having to doa full guided democracy, managed democracy, people's mobilization.” democracy. Nor does sovereign democracy represent : P : ‘ : —U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges a genuine commitment to the notion of national sovereignty, as countries on the Russian periphery will attest. On repeated occasions, Putin has demon- strated a readiness to intervene in the affairs of nearby 3. The energy weapon: At various times during Pu- countries by fomenting ethnic discontent, undermin- tin’s tenure, Russia has sought to use its oil and ing the economy, or grabbing territory. natural gas exports as a means of disciplining Ukraine and other neighbors. It has raised and Putin has in effect set down a doctrine of limited lowered prices for political reasons, abruptly sovereignty for Russia's neighbors, especially those halted deliveries in the dead of winter, and ma- that were part of the Soviet Union. The Kremlin's nipulated pipeline routes and investments to tactics are meant to keep these countries fearful and drive a wedge between Germany and other Eu- off balance. The instruments of choice range from ropean powers on one side and the Baltic states the nonviolent, such as destabilizing propaganda and and Ukraine on the other. economic pressure, to the lethally aggressive, such as proxy insurgencies and outright invasion.