The Strategic Significance of the Russian Volga River System

Abstract

The Volga River constitutes the primary component of the Unified Deep-Water System (UDWS) of European Russia, which connects the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the significance of the Volga River in this waterway shifted. Concurrently, the efforts of states bordering the Caspian Sea to expand their trade routes increased. In this article, we analyze the role of the Volga River in transporting grain and other goods for export via Black Sea and Caspian Sea ports; military uses of the waterways; and the implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine for Russia's short- and medium-term river transport. We further evaluate the climatic risks posed to the Volga River and Caspian Sea as a result of anthropogenic global climate change, which has the potential to limit transportation via the Volga River. The overall goal of the article is to understand the strategic significance of the Volga River system for Russian commerce, logistics, and security.