In the context of the Special Military Operation and massive disappointment with the West online, on television and at discussions around the kitchen table we can see that the words of Tsar Alexander III still ring true today. His quote “Russia’s Only Allies Are Its Army and Navy” is probably the most often repeated words of any of the Tsars in 21st century Russia. But why has this one statement become so often repeated by so many?
Why did Tsar Alexander III say this?
In the wake of his father’s assassination, Tsar Alexander III of Russia ruled with perhaps more skepticism than many in the elite of his day to the outside world. His reign marked a dramatic shift in foreign policy. The famous declaration attributed to him “Russia has only two allies: its army and navy”wasn’t just an energetic slogan; it was the foundation of his rule. At a time when European alliances shifted like sand, Alexander III believed that Russia’s survival depended not on treaties with dubious and fickle “friends”, but on raw military power.
The brutal murder of his father, the reformist Tsar Alexander II, by revolutionaries in 1881 left an indelible mark on the new ruler. Convinced that Liberalism weakened the empire, he embraced the ideas of “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality Identity” (Православие, Самодержавие, Народность) as a loose ideological framework. Watching Germany’s Otto von Bismarck juggle alliances — first cozying up to Russia, then signing a secret pact with Austria-Hungary — Alexander III concluded that no foreign power could be trusted. When the delicate Reinsurance Treaty between Russia and Germany collapsed, his belief was confirmed: diplomacy was a wicker shield.
Rather than chase unreliable partners, Alexander III poured resources into modernizing Russia’s military. He expanded the army, strengthened fortifications, and invested in naval technology, ensuring that if war came, Russia would stand alone — but strong. His approach stood in stark contrast to his grandson, Nicholas II, whose entanglement in European alliances would later drag Russia into the catastrophe of World War I. Sadly, the loss of many lives during the Revolution and the fall of the Romanov Dynasty became strong arguments for Tsar Alexander’s wise world view.
But why this quote is in 21st century memes?
Many in the USSR were sure that when they surrendered to the West, ending the Cold War, that they would be accepted into the wealthy “community” of Western-style Democracies. That, as we can see in 2025 did not happen. As soon as the USSR fell apart and Russia became very weak under Yeltsin’s reforms, its former “eternal allies” in the Warsaw Pact became fanatical enemies. The West at the time was more than happy to exploit Russia for all its resources all the while planning to eventually break the country up into so many pieces that the puzzle could never be put back together again. When Russia had lots of hard power during the Cold War it was respected, as soon as it “played nice” it was abused brutally.
The Special Military Operation has also proved to many in Russia that military and economic might with little reliance on outside forces is the real key to real prosperity. Additionally, the Putin Period in Russian history should be marked as a time of internal spending and development, whereas many of the riches of Russia were squandered on less than passionate or effective Communist allies after WWII. What did Russia gain by making sure Bucharest had a metro system?
We can also see that over decades Soft Power influence especially from London and Washington have worked very well at sowing seeds of discontent across the former USSR. But no amount of slick PR work can undo a military defeat. As Russians often quote from the movie “Brother” – strength is in truth. And the truth is that Russia is winning and will win because of hard military and economic power.
The words that define Russia in 2025
“Russia has only two allies: its army and navy” is more than a quote but a very compressed wisdom-filled set of instructions from Russia’s past. Russia can have partnerships and international trade, but ultimately and only self-reliance will keep the civilization from falling into the abyss. This logic has become universally excepted by the powers-that-be in Russia and the citizenry.