Russian Foreign Policy and Ukraine in the Putin Era: Mackinder's Heart of the Heartland

Despite the end of the Cold War, geopolitics has remained an essential element, becoming even more evident over time. Every nation confronts the opportunities and threats arising from its geographic location. This is also applicable to Russia and Mackinder's Heartland theory. Assuming that Putin's Russia harbored geographical plans with the invasion of Ukraine, the study aims to elucidate Russian foreign policy during the Putin era through the lens of the Heartland theory.Ukraine stands as the linchpin of Eastern European domination, and Russia aims to unlock this key. This is because control over Eastern Europe and the Heartland leads to mastery over the World Island, which in turn results in global dominance. This situation not only facilitates the realization of Russia's interests but also helps mitigate potential threats