THE PHENOMENON OF SECURITY ASYMMETRY IN THE REALIST PARADIGM OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of security asymmetry in the context of the realist paradigm of international relations. The paper substantiates the relevance of the topic, due to the growing instability of the modern international system, the escalation of conflicts of varying intensity and the emergence of new, non-traditional forms of threats. It is shown that security asymmetry is an integral feature of the modern world order, which arises as a result of the uneven distribution of material and non-material resources, differences in the levels of military-technological development, political legitimacy and the ability of states to ensure their own defense and stability. The realist paradigm, with its emphasis on power, national interests and the struggle for survival, is defined as the theoretical basis for interpreting this phenomenon. The study examines the main provisions of the classical and neo-realist approaches, which allow explaining the logic of state behavior in a situation of power inequality, as well as the role of the balance of power and deterrence in maintaining international stability. The practical part of the study is devoted to the influence of security asymmetry on the formation of national and international security strategies. The example of the Russian-Ukrainian war shows that the asymmetry of forces does not necessarily determine the outcome of the conflict: the effective use of flexible strategies, international support, information technologies and internal resilience can compensate for resource inequality. The paper emphasizes that awareness of the nature of security asymmetry contributes to the development of more adaptive, comprehensive and multi-level approaches to security, which take into account both military and political, economic and information factors. The results obtained have both theoretical significance for the development of a realistic paradigm of international relations and practical value for improving strategic thinking in the field of national and global security.