Russian Colonial Warfare in the Caucasus and Central Asia

This paper provides an overview of Russian colonial campaigns of conquest and 'pacification' in the Caucasus and Central Asia in the 19th century. It explores the nature of this type of asymmetric warfare, the development of specific military doctrines in these settings, and the nature of the violence used. It also looks at the institutional evolution of specialised units of the imperial Russian army to serve and fight in these regions.