In the early stages of the Russian military operation to annex Crimea, in February–March 2014, the level of surprise triggered in Kyiv and in Western capitals caused many journalists and analysts to seek ways to conceptualize Russia’s military and security power. The success and speed of the operation, and especially the lack of any defensive military action from the Ukrainian Armed Forces soon prompted media and analysts alike to label Russia’s actions as “hybrid war.” This was further reinforced by the force mix and use of hard and soft power in southeastern Ukraine. However, few analysts have asked whether Russia …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation
