Russia's Most Important Strategy Is Intimidation - CSIS

9/17/2021
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Russia has not taken any concrete steps to develop the principles of responsible and ethical use of new and breakthrough technologies (EDTs) in the military sector. This is stated in the article of the American Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) “Russia and the Technological Race in an Era of Great Power Competition”, published in the CSIS educational program “Understanding the Russian Military Today”.

If Russia decides to continue this approach, it will affect both its domestic and foreign policies. Internally, the lack of ethical and moral considerations will help the Russian government strengthen its autocratic control over the society. For example, the widespread use of surveillance equipment and artificial intelligence to gather information and persecute protesters or the political opposition. Externally, this could deepen Russia's current isolation and separation from the West.

Besides, Russia considers the advancement of technology suitable not only for traditional military applications, but also for use below the level of declared war. Russia's most important strategy is intimidation, for which it typically uses technology as a means.

In peacetime, Russia intimidates its opponents through psychological methods, ranging from disinformation to targeted nuclear exercises. In conflict, the Russian Federation uses surprise and deception and undertakes asymmetric operations to destabilize, overwhelm and fracture the adversary.

Development of EDTs will allow Russia to further adapt its model of asymmetric warfare and use hybrid instruments against its adversaries, including NATO and its partners. Artificial intelligence and big data will be used along with cyber, information, psychological, and social engineering capabilities as part of cognitive warfare. Therefore, EDTs will help Russia continue to conduct destabilization campaigns aimed at imposing conditions of “unpeace” in the Euro-Atlantic space.