The image of the Russian Federation as a sovereign state, which is able to ensure its security by using all means, including military ones, has been crystalized rather recently. Mikhail Gorbachev’s foreign policy was driven by a willingness to avoid international conflicts and manage them via negotiations and compromises. President Boris Yeltsin was a strong advocate of rapprochement with Europe, and initially with the USA. The year 1999 was a turning point for the national security of Russia. Subsequently the Kremlin adopted a range of coercive instruments for its return to the center of world politics. The events of 1999 convinced a new generation of Kremlin leaders that careful use of military power may become a valuable asset in foreign policy. Since then, there has been a firm belief in Moscow that, if used properly, coercive diplomacy may assist in the revision of Russia’s position in international politics, which has been considered as unfair.