Is Russia waging a clandestine war against the West through information and hybrid tactics?

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Keir Giles, a prominent expert on Russian military affairs, argues that Russia has long pursued a strategy of confrontation with the West. From information warfare to the potential sabotage of critical submarine cables, Giles examines how Moscow uses unconventional methods to challenge global stability and reshape the geopolitical landscape.

Keir Giles is a British analyst and author specializing in the Russian military and Eurasian security. His career spans diverse roles, including service in the Royal Air Force, work with the BBC Monitoring service, and research positions at Chatham House and the Conflict Studies Research Centre. Giles has become a leading voice on Russian strategy, particularly regarding how Moscow utilizes information warfare and hybrid tactics to influence global opinion and pressure Western nations.

In his 2022 book, Russia's War on Everybody, Giles argues that Russia has been engaged in a long-term clandestine conflict against the West. He contends that Western leaders have frequently misread Moscow's intentions, often repeating the same strategic errors. Giles points to Russia's extensive rearmament program, which he notes was well underway before the 2014 crisis in Ukraine, as evidence of a deliberate, long-term shift in Russian military posture. He also highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, such as submarine communications cables, which he suggests Russia could target for espionage or disruption.

Giles’ work often emphasizes the evolution of the Russian military since the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. He notes that while that conflict revealed significant organizational and equipment failures, subsequent reforms have created a more capable, modernized force. However, his analysis has occasionally sparked debate. In 2023, an opinion piece he wrote regarding a controversial figure in the Canadian Parliament drew criticism from media commentators, who argued that his historical framing risked trivializing atrocities and inadvertently aiding Russian propaganda efforts.

Beyond his academic contributions, Giles provides commentary on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War and the broader implications of Russia's alliances with other states. He maintains that Russia is willing to endure significant financial and strategic inconvenience to achieve its long-term goals. By analyzing everything from military exercises to the use of AI-generated phantom profiles on professional networking sites, Giles seeks to expose the mechanisms behind Russia's efforts to undermine Western cohesion and security.

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