This book examines the evolution of Russiaâs security policy under Putin in the 21st century using a critical security studies approach. Drawing on critical approaches to security the book investigates the interrelationship between the internal-external nexus and the politics of (in)security and regime-building in Putinâs Russia. In so doing it evaluates the way that this evolving relationship between state identities and security discourses framed the construction of individual security policies and how in turn individual issues can impact on the meta-discourses of state and security agendas. To this end the (de)securitisation discourses and practices towards the issue of Chechnya are examined as a case study. In so doing this study has wider implications for how we read Russia as a security actor through an approach that emphasises the importance of taking into account its security culture the interconnection between internal/external security priorities and the dramatic changes that have taken place in Russiaâs conceptions of itself national and security priorities and conceptualisation of key security issues in this case Chechnya. These aspects of Russiaâs security agenda remain somewhat of a neglected area of research but as argued in this book offer structuring and framing implications for how we understand Russiaâs position towards security issues and perhaps those of rising powers more broadly. This book will be of much interest to students of Russian security critical security studies and IR. . Language: English