Opinions on the Definitions and Interpretations of Some Concepts from Russian Military Thinking and Theory

Abstract

There is an abundance of perspectives and interpretations about the practices and actions of the Russian Federation on states and individuals, especially at the information level. However, in some respects, Western perspectives tend to simplify Russian actions and categorise them as zero-sum games. In this respect, the paper tries to interpret the actions of the Russian Federation, especially at the informational level, by defining key concepts, as well as to provide a perspective on how Russian military theorists use the notion of “hostile actions” in the context of designing peacetime operations. Moreover, the complexity of the Russian military theoretical background is highlighted, with brief comparisons between the theoretical forms of some concepts from the Soviet period and the present. The paper also reviews some conceptions of the hybrid form of Russian action, attempts to synthesise certain views of Russian military theorists and, based on Russian strategic culture, to show the levels of action in the context of a series of operations. Finally, the paper proposes an orientation model that addresses a holistic perspective on how the subversive and informational actions of the Russian Federation can influence the policy and security of a state targeting the individual, society and the political system.