Sanctions as instruments of power: a neorealist analysis of Russia’s response to Western sanctionsRistoska, Tijana (Avtor) Lovec, Marko (Mentor) sanctionsneorealisminternal balancingexternal balancingThis master’s thesis examines Russia's strategic response to Western sanctions within the framework of neorealism in International Relations. Based on the neorealist assumption that states seek to survive and preserve power in an anarchic international system, this MA thesis focuses on two key mechanisms: internal and external balancing. These mechanisms, illustrated through two sectoral analyses, aim to show how Russia’s response to post-2022 Western sanctions reflects neorealist principles of power balancing and self-sufficiency. The energy sector, chosen mainly for the role it plays in Russia’s geopolitical power, represents international repositioning and market reorientation – a form of external balancing. In contrast, sanctions on the agricultural sector show how Russia has internally balanced the imposed sanctions by developing domestic policies aimed at self-sufficiency. By examining two sectors of huge strategic importance, this thesis seeks to contribute to the broader theoretical debate on how targeted states function within the constraints imposed by the international system. By focusing on sector-specific responses connected to strategy and IR rather than on economic and policy evaluation, this thesis aims to provide a perspective of sanctions as instruments of power within a neorealist framework.T. Ristoska20252025-11-28 08:30:27Magistrsko delo/naloga176365sl