Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: This article outlines the progression of Russia's use of unconventional warfare.This perspective provides strategists and policymakers with insights into the actions leading up to and extending from Russia's annexation and occupation of Ukrainian territory since 2014.R ussia has engaged in unconventional warfare by supporting insurgencies into the twenty-first century.When discussing the concept of unconventional warfare, this paper refers to a specific subset of irregular warfare, which American doctrine defines "as a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations." 1 Under US law, unconventional warfare includes "activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, or guerrilla force in a denied area." 2 The US response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when America supported opposition fighters in Afghanistan, provides an example of unconventional warfare.In Afghanistan, US Special Forces worked with the Northern Alliance, a guerilla group, to overthrow the Taliban, a radical Islamic regime that had collaborated with and harbored Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist organization.3 Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong wrote the eponymous book on guerilla warfare during 1937, in the midst of war with the Japanese empire.When speaking of guerilla warfare and insurgency, Mao separated such warfare into three phases.The first focused on training, organization, and consolidating forces in a hard-to-reach safe haven.From there, "direct action" increases, weakening the enemy forces through sabotage and terrorism as well as ambushing them when they are vulnerable-all while gathering weapons and supplies as well as working politically to indoctrinate and to educate the populace.Only in the third, decisive phase does the guerilla force finally transition into a traditional, conventional military force, attacking and destroying the enemy in a final campaign.4 As will be demonstrated, however, Russia appears to spurn Mao's oft-referenced guidance on guerilla warfare.
Author: Patrick J. Savage
Institution: Georgetown University
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2948470273