STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY AND HYBRID THREATS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

This article investigates the strategic logic and historical evolution of hybrid threats in the twenty-first century, with particular emphasis on the role of strategic ambiguity in shaping contemporary conflict. It examines how hybrid threats – characterized by the fusion of military, informational, economic, and legal instruments – have emerged as central tools in the projection of influence by both state and non-state actors. The study draws on a qualitative methodology combining comparative case analysis and interpretive discourse analysis, focusing on Russian strategic thought as articulated through the doctrines associated with Yevgeny Primakov and Valery Gerasimov. While Primakov’s vision of multipolarity and strategic balancing laid the groundwork for indirect influence and normative contestation, Gerasimov’s articulation of hybrid warfare reflects a more operationalized and tactical approach to ambiguity in conflict. The article addresses a critical academic gap: although hybrid threats are widely acknowledged in policy discourse, their intellectual genealogy and doctrinal foundations remain underexplored in scholarly literature. By tracing the conceptual lineage and strategic applications of hybrid threats, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of modern hostilities and offers insights for adaptive security governance. Key words: hybrid threats, strategic ambiguity, influence operations