Published on April 17, 2015, the article by Marten Soldal examines Russia's hybrid warfare as a comprehensive strategy that transcends tactics or isolated operations, instead arising from the socio-cultural, political, economic, and military fabric of Russian society. The piece explains that Russia’s hybrid warfare integrates conventional military power with unconventional tools such as disinformation, propaganda, and political manipulation to create a military capability blended with societal influences. It argues that understanding Russian hybrid warfare requires insight into the state-centric nature of Russia and its historical, cultural, and political contexts. The author emphasizes that effectively countering this form of warfare entails addressing the society that underpins it. The article outlines key characteristics of Russia’s hybrid warfare, including its complexity, strategic depth, reliance on a broad range of actors and tools, and integration of military and non-military means. The piece highlights that hybrid warfare’s goal is to achieve political-military objectives through a whole-of-society approach, making NATO and its allies’ countermeasures challenging. This comprehensive understanding stems from the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) publication dated April 17, 2015.

Published on April 17, 2015, the article by Marten Soldal examines Russia's hybrid warfare as a comprehensive strategy that transcends tactics or isolated operations, instead arising from the socio-cultural, political, economic, and military fabric of Russian society. The piece explains that Russia’s hybrid warfare integrates conventional military power with unconventional tools such as disinformation, propaganda, and political manipulation to create a military capability blended with societal influences. It argues that understanding Russian hybrid warfare requires insight into the state-centric nature of Russia and its historical, cultural, and political contexts. The author emphasizes that effectively countering this form of warfare entails addressing the society that underpins it. The article outlines key characteristics of Russia’s hybrid warfare, including its complexity, strategic depth, reliance on a broad range of actors and tools, and integration of military and non-military means. The piece highlights that hybrid warfare’s goal is to achieve political-military objectives through a whole-of-society approach, making NATO and its allies’ countermeasures challenging. This comprehensive understanding stems from the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) publication dated April 17, 2015.