Analysis of Russian Irregular Threats

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zeigler, Sean M.

Contributor:

Aoki, Naoko

Massicot, Dara

Sachs, Chandler

Treyger, Elina

Watts, Stephen

Language:

English

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, Calif. RAND Corporation 2021

Summary:

The authors of this report describe strategic global trends related to Russian global influence and behavior and provide an overview and assessment of hostile activities — including information warfare, political subversion, and the use of violence or the threat of violence through proxies to undermine political order and influence vulnerable governments — that Russia has undertaken in the face of these trends. The authors find that Russia continues to engage in a wide range of hostile measures globally, but the intensity of its behavior varies in different regions and for different types of activities. The threat posed by Russia is greatest in the former Soviet states and in more fragile states afflicted by civil conflicts; with some notable exceptions, in more stable countries, Russian actions are typically limited to influence operations. The authors conclude that, overall, the West has maintained considerable pressure on Russia.