CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2018
| Author | Hall, Jonathan Patrick |
|---|---|
| Title | Russian Military Campaign in Eastern Ukraine: Implications of Actor Influence on Strategic Planning |
| Summary | The study of Russian military thought, a priority for Western nations since long before the Cold War, is an ever-evolving endeavor. Constant improvements in their operational capabilities and strategic aptitude require similar developments in our analytical abilities and understanding. 2014, and the annexation of Crimea, marks the most recent advancement in the military affairs of the Russian Federation which is not yet fully comprehended. Their swift and efficient operations on the Crimean Peninsula, followed by the protracted conflict in Donbas we see today illustrates tactics and technologies used in a decidedly different manner than many claim has been seen in the past. What the Russian military has done is apparent, how to respond is another question entirely. The answers to these questions have consistently been sought within the proposed model of so-called hybrid warfare. Russia was highly successful in using a mixed approach in their military campaign – combining conventional and unconventional methods, in addition to their sponsorship of pro-Russian separatist groups. Comprehensive analyses of the tactics used, technologies adopted and proxy sponsorships employed certainly needs to be conducted. Whether this should be done within the framework of hybrid warfare, however, will be examined. What this research will posit, is that many aspects of the hybrid warfare model appeared due to individual actor agency on the ground, the pro-Russian separatists, rather than by clear Russian directives. If this is proven to be the case, then a frame of analysis which incorrectly assumes a unitary actor, Russia, initiating the tactics of freelancing proxies, the separatists, is flawed by its very basis. |
| Supervisor | Jenne, Erin Kristin |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2018/hall_jonathan.pdf |
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