Russia's Architecture of Hegemony: Christian Orthodox Subordination Strategies in Russia's Peripheral Zone

Russia has enlisted the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and instrumentalised it as part of what can be described as a dynamic 'soft-power offensive'. Its aim is to consolidate hierarchical power as a means to insulate an emerging Kremlin-centric political order and, subsequently, reassert its hegemonic influence over its periphery. This article argues that a strategy of using the Orthodox Church as a means of soft power is being deployed to bolster the realisation of this hegemony and, where possible, it aims to align potential subordinates' interests with those of Moscow via the Christian Orthodox Church. More specifically, this article addresses the deployment of a Christian Orthodox Subordination Strategy (COSS) and its effects in Moldova and Ukraine.