Weaponizing Food: Russia’s Strategy and Tactics amid Western Sanctions and the Russia–Ukraine War

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines Russia’s strategic use of food resources as instruments of its hybrid warfare and economic statecraft targeting Ukraine and the West. To trace the origins and evolution of Russian food warfare, this article analyzes Putin’s food security strategy in conjunction with five key tactical components: food embargoes, legalized food security policy, grain deal, food weaponization campaigns, and grain diplomacy. Over the past decade, amid Western sanctions and the Russia– Ukraine War, Putin’s global food power narrative and accompanying strategies have sought to strengthen Russia’s food self-sufficiency, while expanding its geopolitical influence through food trade and aid. This study highlights how the Russian authoritarian regime legitimizes its economic statecraft through food, positioning it as a strategic asset to consolidate domestic control and cultivate external alliances with other authoritarian states.