Title: The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict Through the Lens of Sun Tzu.
Creator: Sweitzer, Christopher S. (Major)
Date: 2018
Publisher: Quantico, Virginia. Marine Corps University, Command and Staff College.
Description: Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited.
Type: thesis
Format: 43 pages, 1350 KB PDF
Sponsoring Agency/Branch: United States Army Reserve
Abstract: Many scholars classify Russia’s actions within Ukraine in 2014 as hybrid warfare since Russia combined both conventional and unconventional warfare to achieve its political objectives. Further investigation and analysis of the methods employed by Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian War is appropriate as Russia’s swift and decisive success could lead to similar operations in the future. Viewing and analyzing the Russo-Ukrainian conflict through the lens of Sun Tzu provides a unique perspective to the potentially evolving character of Russian warfare in the 21st century. In particular, Sun Tzu’s strategic concepts of Cheng and Ch’i, Tao of deception, and nonmilitary means to achieve victory provide an excellent framework to analyze the 2014 Russo-Ukrainian War for clues about the character of Russian warfare. Russia’s evolution of hybrid warfare, specifically Russian influence over the information environment, is traced to Russia’s historic use of active measures and reflexive control theory to affect the tactical, operational, and strategic environments. An analysis of Russia’s incursions within Estonia in 2007 and Georgia in 2008 exhibits an evolution of Russian nonlinear doctrine and tactics subsequently refined during the Russo-Ukrainian War. To avoid the military strength of the West, it is evident Russia favors the application of nonlinear warfare over conventional warfare to further its strategic goals. Increasing the resilience of the United States against Russia’s nonlinear warfare and its attacks on democratic institutions requires a whole-of-government approach that mobilizes all resources across the spectrum of US national power.