Hybrid war discourse: from history to the present

Abstract

The article comprehensively explores the historical aspect of the phenomenon of “hybrid war”: from its first manifestations in ancient times to the present – the period of formation of Ukrainian statehood. The works are analyzed and the main views of domestic, Russian and American scientists on the essence and the concep of “Hybrid war” are highlighted. It was determined that the phenomenon of hybrid warfare was also traced in the history of domestic state formation at the beginning of the last century. To seize power in Ukraine, the Russian Bolsheviks used many tricks and political maneuvers that had a hybrid component. In particular, one of such methods was the formation of quasi-state formations, such as: Donetsk-Kryvyi Rih Soviet Republic (1918) and others. In addition, the methods used by the Bolsheviks to spread misinformation were analyzed, such as the distribution of free leaflets at the front, which carried a propaganda content. Special attention is paid to the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation in the XXI century, in particular against Ukraine. The main views of Russian researchers on hybrid warfare are highlighted. They emphasize that the main components of a hybrid war are information warfare, as well as covert involvement of outside armed groups and organizations to solve the problems of interstate confrontation. Also, various definitions of “hybrid war” in terminological dictionaries were analyzed, such as: Dictionary of the Ukrainian language, Cambridge Dictionary, Collins Dictionary. Thanks to a comprehensive study of views on the concept of “hybrid war”, its basic definition was formed, which comprehensively characterizes both historical and contemporary aspects of this phenomenon.