The lion’s share of analysis of THAAD’s regional implications has focused on China’s reaction to the American missile defense system. Russia, on the other hand, has received relatively little analysis in terms of its position on THAAD.

Indeed, compared with China, Russia’s reaction has been comparatively muted, and in some ways has taken an opposite trajectory from China. The Chinese government and business community have focused their chagrin regarding THAAD directly at South Korea, and have used punitive economic measures against the ROK (although actions against South Korea have seeped to the grassroots level as well).

Russia, on the other