{"id":12032,"date":"2015-04-15T17:20:12","date_gmt":"2015-04-15T16:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/new-research-division-publication-russias-approach-to-conflict-implications-for-natos-deterrence-and-defence\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T09:11:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T08:11:43","slug":"new-research-division-publication-russias-approach-to-conflict-implications-for-natos-deterrence-and-defence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/new-research-division-publication-russias-approach-to-conflict-implications-for-natos-deterrence-and-defence\/","title":{"rendered":"New Research Division Publication: &quot; Russia&#8217;s Approach to Conflict &#8211; Implications for NATO&#8217;s Deterrence and Defence&quot;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">\n<ul class='list_homepage'>\n<li>\nResearch Paper 111: <a href='\/fr\/download\/downloads.php\/?icode=449' target='_blank' title=\"click to download (pdf)\"><br \/>\n &quot;Russia&#8217;s Approach to Conflict &#8211; Implications for NATO&#8217;s Deterrence and Defence&quot;<\/a>, by Dave Johnson.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">In this paper, the author (a senior member of the International Staff at NATO Headquarters) makes the point that NATO\u2019s traditional preparations for collective defence and its Article 5 commitments face a significant challenge in Russia\u2019s approach to conflict, which combines many well-known elements with modern concepts and capabilities in a holistic, multi-dimensional and flexible approach that targets perceived weaknesses of the Alliance. He argues that the Russian approach was initially labelled by some in the West after the start of the Ukraine crisis as \u201chybrid\u201d warfare and treated as a new phenomenon.  However, it has gradually been recognised that the capabilities and methods used by Russia in its aggressive actions are not new or unique, although there are some innovations in their application.  One important innovation is exploitation of ambiguity, both of intent and attribution. <\/p>\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">Contrary to NATO\u2019s aspirations toward a constructive relationship, Russia almost certainly views itself as being in a conflict with \u201cthe West\u201d at a level short of openly declared war.  Among the many serious implications of this state-of-play are the requirement to build comprehensive situational awareness from the tactical to the decision-making level; to adapt and enhance NATO indications and warning capabilities; to re-focus and enhance intelligence efforts; to adapt practices and procedures to cope with fast-developing situations; and to establish close practical cooperation with the European Union and other relevant organisations that may play complementary roles in responding to hybrid threats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">The pattern that has emerged over the last several years of Russian aggression on its borders requires that NATO take steps to ensure its own defence.  The Wales Summit decisions to implement the Readiness Action Plan and the Defence Investment Pledge are vital steps in that direction.  But a clearer focus on Moscow\u2019s clear doctrinal statements in the context of its overall pattern of behaviour will help the Alliance to focus those efforts more effectively and to adapt further as necessary. Without a full appreciation of the conceptual elements of the Russian approach to conflict, as John G. Hines and George F. Kraus wrote nearly 30 years ago in an earlier era of high tensions between the Alliance and its aggressive neighbor to the east, NATO\u2019s Allies could \u201cbe in danger of losing our edge, if not the competition, because we have been outflanked in the area of strategic and operational thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\">\n<p>Dr Jeffrey Larsen, Division Head Research<\/p>\n<p class=\"eplus-wrapper\"><span class='np'><a href='\/fr\/research\/publications.php\/?icode=6' target='_blank'>More Research Division Publications&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>NDC Public Affairs Office<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research Paper 111: &quot;Russia&#8217;s Approach to Conflict &#8211; Implications for NATO&#8217;s Deterrence and Defence&quot;, by Dave Johnson. In<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"post_badge":[],"class_list":["post-12032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"NDC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/author\/admin_3rwqf6tj\/"},"modified_by":null,"author_meta":{"display_name":"NDC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/author\/admin_3rwqf6tj\/"},"featured_img":null,"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","trp-custom-language-flag":"","morenews-featured":"","morenews-large":"","morenews-medium":""},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","tag_info":"News","comment_count":0,"coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/category\/news\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">News<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">News<\/span>"]}},"relative_dates":{"created":"Publi\u00e9 11 ans il y a","modified":"Mis \u00e0 jour 6 mois il y a"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Publi\u00e9 le avril 15, 2015","modified":"Mise \u00e0 jour le janvier 15, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Publi\u00e9 le avril 15, 2015 17:20","modified":"Mise \u00e0 jour le janvier 15, 2026 09:11"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12032\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12032"},{"taxonomy":"post_badge","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_badge?post=12032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}