Published on January 17, 2026, the article examines the evolution of Russian hybrid warfare into indistinguishable political maneuvers, emphasizing Kremlin efforts to manipulate political movements and democratic institutions in allied countries, notably the United States. It details the Kremlin’s use of disinformation campaigns, covert influence operations, and proxy political actors to destabilize democratic societies and erode public trust. Highlighted are the challenges in clearly identifying and countering such hybrid aggression due to its entwinement with legitimate political activities and the strategic ambiguity Russia employs. The article underscores expert analysis on the complexity of confronting these tactics, the importance of understanding the hybrid threat’s political dimension, and the necessity for integrated political, legal, and intelligence measures to defend democratic resilience. This form of hybrid warfare blurs traditional conflict lines and demands a novel response framework from affected states.
Category: Political & Legal Subversion
Subcategory: Political Manipulation
Incident Type: Creating/manipulating political movements
Country: United States of America
Source report: www.defenseone.com/threats/2…
