The Balkans as a Sphere of Russia’s Imperial Power – Thoughts on New Perspectives and Approaches in Modern Historical Research

The relationship between Russia and the Balkans has traditionally been a wellresearched area in the history of international relations. In recent decades, however, there has been a shift within the scholarly community towards rethinking the dynamics of great power action and its impact on particular geographical regions, moving beyond the political-historical approach and adopting new methodologies. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of thought-provoking trends and tendencies in modern historiography that may open up new possibilities for a more complex understanding and reinterpretation of the relationship between Russia and the Balkans. Therefore, the paper is not always analytical, but rather reflective, and seeks to provide a basis and stimulus for formulating new research questions.