Making Sense of Hybrid Warfare

Abstract

The term hybrid warfare has been widely analyzed by scholars, policymakers and commentators since Russia occupied Crimea in March 2014. The topic has ceased to be a subject only studied by military strate- gists, but has entered the wider policy domain as a significant security challenge for the West. This article seeks to place the debate about hy- brid warfare in a broader analytical and historical context and summa- rizes discussion to date on this and related strategic concepts. The Rus- sian approach to hybrid warfare as demonstrated by operations in Ukraine is a particular focus for discussion.