Humiliation

This chapter explores the concept of humiliation as a driving force in Russian foreign and domestic policy under President Vladimir Putin. It argues that humiliation, when politicized and institutionalized, becomes a strategic tool for legitimizing authoritarian power and justifying international aggression. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kremlin constructed a narrative of collective humiliation—rooted in the loss of great-power status and perceived Western disrespect—that has since evolved into a central element of Moscow&s;s ideological framework. Under Putin, this narrative has been weaponized to sustain a sense of national grievance and moral superiority, portraying Russia as a victim of Western hostility. By framing North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) enlargement and the liberal international order as sources of humiliation, the Kremlin redirects internal discontent outward and consolidates domestic control. The chapter demonstrates how this discourse culminated in Russia&s;s aggression against Ukraine, where humiliation has been transformed into an offensive political and military instrument. Ultimately, the analysis reveals that the Kremlin&s;s manipulation of humiliation serves not to restore Russia&s;s dignity but to preserve Putin&s;s authoritarian regime—anchoring its legitimacy in resentment, revisionism, and the deliberate construction of an alternate reality hostile to the democratic world.