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Report: Russia and the hybrid warfare - a tool among others

Government Communications Department
Publication date 27.10.2016 14.19 | Published in English on 28.10.2016 at 11.56
Press release 464/2016

The Aleksanteri Institute of Helsinki University published today the final report on the research project “Russia and the hybrid warfare” it had coordinated. The report underlines that there is no simple answer or concept, such as "hybrid warfare", through which it would be possible to evaluate Russia's foreign, security and defence policies and their various cause and effect relationships. Instead, Russia's strengths and weaknesses should be analysed separately. According to researchers, Russia's military capabilities, the change in its strategic thinking, foreign policy goals and motivations and how to respond to them could offer useful perspectives.

The project researchers put forward their own views on how, for example, propaganda is used (information war) and Russia's approach to build up its own self image as a super power. In addition, the researchers analyse how Russia combines military power with a traditional use of the military in foreign policy and Russia's improved capacity to coordinate military operations in the 2000s. The researchers also discuss the long-term effects of the inefficient use of Russia’s military budget and the significance of preventive measures in the light of Russia’s recent military activities.

Based on their observations, the researchers make the following recommendations:

1. Macro-level concepts such as “hybrid warfare” do not explain Russia’s foreign, security and defence policies. It is good to keep this in mind when reflecting on how to respond to recent changes in the security environment. It is details which create the whole picture.

2. There should be more support to regional research on Russia and Eurasia. To understand Russia on the whole requires extensive expertise in areas such as Russia’s politics, history, culture, society and economy.

3. Establishing the broader context is the key to understanding contemporary Russian politics. Events should be placed in a broader context so that what is new and what continues the old stands out clearly.

4. The western countries which include Finland should primarily underline their own strengths. There can be unexpected consequences if Russia’s strengths and the West’s weaknesses are unnecessarily exaggerated.

5. Russia related politics and, to the wider extent, security policy related strategies should be discussed as openly and extensively as possible.

6. Bilateral relations are always a part of a broader context – do we know how other actors, states and regions see Russia and how they see Finland’s politics?

The research project “Russia and the Hybrid warfare” was realized as part of the Government’s plan from 2015 to implement an analysis, assessment and research plan. The report “Russia and the Hybrid warfare – going beyond the label” was completed earlier as part of the project.

Report: After ‘hybrid warfare’, what next? – Understanding and responding to contemporary Russia

More information on the research project (in Finnish)

More information on the Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities can be found on tietokayttoon.fi

Inquiries: Researcher (DrPolSc) Hanna Smith, Aleksanteri-instituutti, hanna.smith(at)helsinki.fi or tel. +358 50 318 5702