A recently released on Russia鈥檚 seizure of Crimea and the implications for Western security concludes that 鈥渆vents in Crimea and Ukraine represent a 鈥榞ame changer鈥� [that] will have significant implications for resources, force structures, equipment and training.鈥� In addition to their excellent analysis of Russian strategy and tactics, the authors offered useful recommendations meant to inform both the next U.K. Defense and Security Review and the upcoming NATO summit. The alliance will need to adapt its capabilities and approach to collective defense if it is to avoid being caught off-guard by Russian tactics in the future.
The report reviews the recovery of Russia鈥檚 military power over the past decade, but focuses on how the Russians have been increasingly employing more-effective 鈥渘ext-generation warfare鈥� tactics, beginning with the cyber attack on Estonia in 2007 but seen most clearly in the Georgia War of 2008 and the recent events in Ukraine. These tactics are also referred to as 鈥渁mbiguous,鈥� 鈥渁symmetric,鈥� 鈥渦nconventional鈥� and 鈥渘onlinear,鈥� among other terms, with the essential condition being avoiding conventional force-on-force fighting with superior NATO forces. ...