How Russia Conducts Hybrid Warfare in the Sahel
(2025) STVK12 20251Department of Political Science
- Abstract
- Russia has utilized hybrid warfare techniques to expand its influence and obtain key strategic objectives during its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its 2015 military intervention in Syria. The increased global isolation Russia experienced proceeding its annexation of Crimea, prompted a strategic pivot towards the African continent for resources and new alliances. This motive was further intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Russia sought to offset sanctions, establish political allies, and challenge declining Western influence- thus leading to an aggressive campaign of hybrid warfare in the Sahel. The regions vulnerabilities, security fragility, and growing frustrations with the West, coupled with its wealth of natural... (More)
- Russia has utilized hybrid warfare techniques to expand its influence and obtain key strategic objectives during its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its 2015 military intervention in Syria. The increased global isolation Russia experienced proceeding its annexation of Crimea, prompted a strategic pivot towards the African continent for resources and new alliances. This motive was further intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Russia sought to offset sanctions, establish political allies, and challenge declining Western influence- thus leading to an aggressive campaign of hybrid warfare in the Sahel. The regions vulnerabilities, security fragility, and growing frustrations with the West, coupled with its wealth of natural resources cemented it as a strategic target for Russian influence.
This thesis explores how Russia operationalizes hybrid warfare in the Sahel to secure environmental permissiveness and strategic goals. By developing a layered and flexible analytical framework rooted in theoretical and empirical precedent, this study formulates a series of key components and mechanisms which outline the synergy of military, economic, political, and informational instruments and how they are adapted to address contextual factors. Using Mali as a case study, the framework analyzes Russia’s operationalization of these components through a non-rigid phased approach; targeting and entry, consolidation, and perpetuation, providing a comprehensive analytical tool to examine Russia’s regional hybrid warfare strategy. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9189745
- author
- Möller, Adam LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- STVK12 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Hybrid Warfare, Russian Foreign Policy, Sahel, Wagner Group, Asymmetrical Warfare
- language
- English
- id
- 9189745
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-07 16:28:39
- date last changed
- 2025-08-07 16:28:39
@misc{9189745,
abstract = {{Russia has utilized hybrid warfare techniques to expand its influence and obtain key strategic objectives during its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its 2015 military intervention in Syria. The increased global isolation Russia experienced proceeding its annexation of Crimea, prompted a strategic pivot towards the African continent for resources and new alliances. This motive was further intensified after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Russia sought to offset sanctions, establish political allies, and challenge declining Western influence- thus leading to an aggressive campaign of hybrid warfare in the Sahel. The regions vulnerabilities, security fragility, and growing frustrations with the West, coupled with its wealth of natural resources cemented it as a strategic target for Russian influence.
This thesis explores how Russia operationalizes hybrid warfare in the Sahel to secure environmental permissiveness and strategic goals. By developing a layered and flexible analytical framework rooted in theoretical and empirical precedent, this study formulates a series of key components and mechanisms which outline the synergy of military, economic, political, and informational instruments and how they are adapted to address contextual factors. Using Mali as a case study, the framework analyzes Russia’s operationalization of these components through a non-rigid phased approach; targeting and entry, consolidation, and perpetuation, providing a comprehensive analytical tool to examine Russia’s regional hybrid warfare strategy.}},
author = {{Möller, Adam}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{How Russia Conducts Hybrid Warfare in the Sahel}},
year = {{2025}},
}