(CNN) -- With the Russian military having effectively taken control of Crimea, a permanent division of Ukraine is becoming increasingly likely. Russian President Vladimir Putin's request to the Russian Senate to approve military intervention in Ukraine in order to "protect citizens of Russia" highlights how once seemingly innocuous "compatriot policies" are being used by Moscow to justify military efforts to regain Crimea for Russia. Russia's compatriot policies are officially meant to protect ethnic Russians living in nearby countries, but have served Russia's territorial expansionism in the past. In fact these compatriot policies can be viewed as part of Putin's new military doctrine that seeks territorial gains in the former Soviet republics, particularly where there is a receptive population of Russian speakers.
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Agnia Grigas: Vladimir Putin has made effective use of his "compatriot" policy
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It enables Russia to gain territory in areas where ethnic Russians and Russian speakers live
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She says Crimea is a place where Russia can claim it was acting for "compatriots"
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Grigas: Other nations in Russia's neighborhood should pay attention
Looking at Russia's neighborhood, one can already see how compatriot policy has assisted @placeholder's foreign policy and territorial expansion.