Responding to Hybrid Warfare: The Case of the Attempted Assassination of Sergey Skripal

Abstract

The concept of hybrid warfare, parsimonious but poorly defined in terms of theory, failed to provide an operational framework for relevant research or policy purposes. With a more holistic approach to hybrid warfare, this thesis means to revitalize a decaying interest to this topic, prove its relevance, as well as provide a new, broad understanding of the phenomenon that is fit for practical purposes. To study the means of state response to hybrid warfare through public policy, this dissertation adopted a case study approach. Ignoring the more 'traditional' hybrid scenarios, such as cyber attacks in the Baltics, this research focused on a more novel interpretation of a hybrid attack, such as the case of attempted assassination of Sergey Skripal. Cases of such unorthodox nature of hybrid warfare have the potential to unveil significant evidence base for both research and policy-making purposes in terms of prevention and reaction to hybrid scenarios. With findings of the research focusing on the triangulation of theory with a real-world scenario, this dissertation lays foundation for the new understanding of hybrid warfare and, possibly, a more comprehensive theory of hybrid warfare in the future.