Embedded in a realist worldview, Russia has a "weakness" for hard power and zones of influence. For Moscow the control of the former Soviet republics represent both the guarantee of its security and the condition for the growth of its geopolitical strength. The present paper analyses Russian hard power presence in the former Soviet space, with a focus on the countries residing between the EU and Russia, assessing that Moscow has modernized recently not only its capabilities but also the

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... strategy and tactics in the area. The author compares the Georgian and Ukrainian wars arguing that the changes in approach of these military operations prove also Russian attempts to adapt its hard power to the evolutions of the international environment.