Russia’s Hybrid Warfare Strategy in Ukraine:

As a New Tool to Challenge the West

Muharrem DOGAN

 

ABSTRACT

The Orange Revolution and the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement have been considered as a Western threat to the Russia’s sphere of influence in the region. Thus, the Kremlin has increased its influence in Ukraine since the Ukrainian government developed a good relationship with the EU. The annexation of Crimea and Russia’s support for separatist groups in Eastern Ukraine are both viewed as Russia’s reaction to protect its sphere of influence in the post-Soviet space. Even though the Kremlin still argues that Russia has never participated in the war in Donbas, some evidences show that Russia’s troops are in the field and Russia has used some special techniques of war. Russia’s involvements in Ukraine by using the new methods of war such as using information warfare, the intelligent service, special forces, and militias have been named as hybrid war. The purpose of this paper is therefore to examine Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy in Ukraine and give an answer to the question that Russia has achieved its fundamental goal by using hybrid war.

Key Words: Hybrid war, Ukrainian crisis, Annexation of Crimea, War in Donbas.