How the Bear Hunts Guerillas: The Evolution of Russian Counter-Irregular Warfare from 1994 to Present
Abstract
Since the 2014 invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, U.S. policymakers and military professionals have dedicated significant attention to countering Russian offensive irregular warfare and political warfare threats. However, just as Russia has modernized its offensive irregular capabilities, it has also made significant strides in combatting asymmetric threats. Russias 2015 intervention in Syria demonstrated thisadvancement, as Russian-led Syrian forces successfully battled U.S.-backed groups and the Islamic State. If U.S. Special Forces (USSF) and their allies intend to challenge near-peer adversaries abroad, then it is time to study the threat posed by a modern counter-irregular warfare (CIW) campaign. This study seeks to address the transformation of Russian CIW doctrine and methods from the Russian Federations invasion ofChechnya in 1994 up through its current activities in the North Caucasus, the Middle East, and beyond. By identifying key principles and capabilities from across these case studies, this project aims to develop an improved understanding of the threat USSF and their partners would face executing unconventional warfare (UW) against Russia or its proxies. Such an understanding would inform threat-based trainingscenarios and enhance the Special Forces regiments understanding of how Green Berets might execute UW against a peer adversary.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1164804
Entities
People
- Benjamin A Arbitter
- Kurt A Carlson
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School