{"product_id":"imperfect-equilibrium-kirill-shamiev-9780197861394","title":"Imperfect Equilibrium: Civil-Military Relations in Russian Defense Policymaking","description":"Despite years of attempts to improve its military capabilities, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 revealed a crippling lack of skill, discipline and equipment. Non-material factors, in particular the power struggle between military and civilian leaderships, have hindered reform of its armed forces: with officers dominating defense policy, the Kremlin has struggled to implement the necessary changes. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eKirill Shamiev explores the political reasons behind Russia's poor military preparedness for the war in Ukraine. He demonstrates how a seemingly obedient military has frequently blocked civilian reforms, taking advantage of weak oversight mechanisms. The Kremlin's efforts to centralize control and make the armed forces personally accountable to President Vladimir Putin harmed institutional learning, cementing a conservative civil-military status quo. While this protected the military from civil society interference and ensured Putin's autocratic rule, it ultimately limited the pace and scope of change. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAnalyzing three cases of reform between 2000 and 2021, \u003cem\u003eImperfect Equilibrium\u003c\/em\u003e offers critical insights into the relationship between civilian control and military effectiveness in Russia. Drawing on extensive qualitative and quantitative evidence--including interviews, parliamentary speeches, media reports and surveys--it shows how unchecked autonomy can undermine military development, even in authoritarian contexts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kirill Shamiev\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0197861393\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780197861394\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 280\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.77lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.53h x 5.60w x 0.99d","brand":"Kirill Shamiev","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48801261388031,"sku":"9780197861394","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/imperfect-equilibrium-kirill-shamiev-9780197861394","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}