THE HYBRID WAR IN UKRAINE OR THE CHANGING REGIONAL POWER ARCHITECTURE
Keywords:
hybrid war, Russia, Ukraine, CrimeaAbstract
This article aims to analyze the evolution of conflict in Ukraine and Russia's behavior, applying a concept that benefits from great attention in the last decade - hybrid war. Beyond the Ukrainian stake and the goal to regain territories lost after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 2014 conflict is about Russia's position in the region and the change of power architecture. Ukraine, with its geopolitical disadvantages represented a certain victim in the struggle of interest between an indecisive West and a irritated Russia eager for revenge. While the West was sending vague signals, Russia found and applied the best solution to avoid a direct confrontation, circumventing international norms in order to achieve its own goals. After we witnessed the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s unrecognized, but undeniable, immixture the conflict from eastern Ukraine, we ask ourselves – what is next, who could be the next Kremlin’s target and who would be interested to learn and apply the Russian model of hybrid war?References
Allison, G. and Simes, D. (2015). Russia and America Stumbling to War. The National Interest, April 20. http://nationalinterest.org/feature/russia-america-stumbling-war-12662?page=3
Colintineanu, L. (2015). Război hibrid: Ucraina nu va fi ultimul capitol. Hotnews.ro, 10 martie. http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-international-19599106-razboi-hibrid-ucraina-nu-ultimul-capitol.htm
Groll, E. (2015). Putin lurks on the sidelines as greek economic crises heads down to the wire. Foreign Policy, July 6. http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/06/putin-lurks-on-the-sidelines-as-greek-economic-crisis-heads-down-to-the-wire/
Hentea, C. (2015). Era Putin şi războiul hybrid. Historia.ro. 23 Aprilie.
http://www.historia.ro/exclusiv_web/general/articol/era-putin-razboiul-hibrid
Hoffman, F. (2014). On not-so-new warfare. Political warfare versus hybrid threats. War on the Rocks, July 28. http://warontherocks.com/2014/07/on-not-so-new-warfare-political-warfare-vshybrid-threats
Hoffman, F. (2009). Hybrid Warfare and Challenges. JFQ 52 (1st quarter)
Hoffman, F. (2007) Conflict in the 21st Century: The Rise of Hybrid Wars. Arlington, Virginia: Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.
Johnson, Reuben (2015). Update: Russia’s hybrid war in Ukraine “is working. HIS Jane’s Defence Weekly, February 26. http://www.janes.com/article/49469/update-russia-s-hybrid-war-in-ukraine-is-working
Kofman, M. and Rojansky, M. (2015). „A closer look at Russia’s “Hybrid War”.
Kennan Cable, Kennan Institute and Wilson Center, No. 7, April.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/7-KENNAN%20CABLE-ROJANSKY%20KOFMAN.pdf
M, R. (2014). Ce este războiul hibrid dus de Rusia în Ucraina şi cum a fost el pregătit de zece ani sub ochii permisivi ai Occidentului. Hotnews.ro, 1 septembrie.
McCuen, J. (2008). Hybrid Wars. Military Review, March-April.
Serebrean, O. (2006). Geopolitica spaţiului pontic, Ediţia a II-a. Chişinău: Editura
Cartier.
Stan, A. (2015). Campania Rusiei: ce lecţii am învăţat din războiul hibrid dus în Ucraina, Adevărul.ro, 20 aprilie.
Van Puyvelde, D. (2015), Hybrid war – does it even exist?. NATO Review Magazine, May 7.
NATO, EU to work together to counter Russia’s “hybrid” warfare. Reuters, Mai 14, 2015,
Voyiennaya doktrina Rossiyskoi Federatii. Rossiyskaya Gazeta RG.ru, 30 decembrie 2014. http://www.rg.ru/2014/12/30/doktrina-dok.html,
It’s not just the war: Ukraine’s fight behind the headlines. NATO Review Magazine.06.07.2015.
http://www.nato.int/docu/review/2015/Also-in-2015/war-ukraine-fight-headlines/EN/index.htm