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The Construction of Warfare Technology in Russian Military Thinking
Solovyeva, Anzhelika ; Hynek, Nikola (advisor) ; Střítecký, Vít (referee) ; Eichler, Jan (referee)
The Construction of Warfare Technology in Russian Military Thinking Anzhelika Solovyeva Abstract This dissertation traces the dynamics of military-technological innovation in Russia over the last hundred and fifty years. The analysis relies extensively on primary data obtained from Russian archives, complemented by a series of expert interviews. The goal is to understand whether and to what extent Russia's respective discourses and practices constitute a distinct strategic cultural approach. The relationship between strategic culture and military- technological innovation is considered from two different, yet complementary, perspectives. From an empirical standpoint, the analysis is guided by six substantial arguments derived from the existing literature on Russian strategic culture, technology and military doctrine, interviews conducted by the author, and partially from the author's own knowledge of the problematic. In theoretical terms, this dissertation offers and graphically nuances a novel conceptual model, theorizing processes related to military-technological innovation and the role of strategic cultural frames. The last two arguments guiding the empirical focus of this dissertation are derived from the theoretical discussion. This model is subsequently applied to three case studies, with the key...
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Internet governance in Putin's Russia - a long term perspective
Novák, Adam ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (advisor) ; Střítecký, Vít (referee)
Master's thesis abstract Internet Governance in Putin's Russia - a long-term perspective This longitudinal case study is dedicated to the analysis of the development behind Russia's approach to Internet governance. By qualitatively researching the development of the Kremlin's approach to Internet governance, this thesis aims to capture the learning process behind regulating the cyberspace in Russia. As such, the aim is to understand what kind of events have shaped its perception of how Internet and the underpinning infrastructure should be approached to increase the regime's stability. Building on the concepts of digital authoritarianism and authoritarian learning and by understanding learning as a long-term process with turning points, this thesis aims to answer these research questions. How does Russia's digital authoritarianism manifest? Which events, both domestic and international, hastened the pace and intensity of cyberspace regulation in Russia? Can we identify a learning process behind Russia's long-term approach towards Internet regulation? For these ends, the turning points refer to events after which we can identify a change in the perception of Internet governance and/or intensification in controlling the online information space. As such, with the help of periodization, the thesis traces the...
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Russian Hegemony in the post-Soviet Region: The Case of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War
Hanzelková, Karolína ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
The Master's thesis examines Russia's hegemonic efforts to strengthen its influence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and, therefore, in its so-called near abroad. The work is conducted as a case study of the 2020 Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the subsequent deployment of the Russian uni-national peacekeeping mission in the region. The thesis aims to discover whether the physical presence of the Russian peacekeepers in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the new realities after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War increased the influence of Russia and thus strengthened its hegemonic position in the South Caucasus region or not. The thesis is framed by hegemonic stability theories and regional security complex and supplemented by empirical data.
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Autonomous Weapon Systems as the next revolution in warfare and implications of technology deployment for global security
Kvasňovský, Tomáš ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
This thesis addresses developments in Artificial Intelligence and the increasing trend of robotization and autonomization of military forces in the context of Revolution in Military Affairs. It examines and categorizes different approaches to concepts of AI, autonomy and RMA in the public debate and academic and military literature. It further explores potential impacts and challenges of AI and its weaponized subset - Autonomous Weapon Systems on civil-military relations, legal and ethical norms, arms control regime and general security domain. Building upon findings from previous chapters, AI and AWSs are analyzed in a context of RMA and broader socio-economic context. Specifically, AI-enabled autonomy is compared with aspects of existing remotely controlled systems. The thesis comes to a conclusion that AWSs are harbingers of the next RMA and AI has the potential to match the importance of Neolithic, Industrial and Information revolution.
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The Russian Federation in front of the 21st century security challenges: Cooperation or confrontation
Mkrtchyan, Mikhail ; Michálek, Luděk (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
The past two decades have led to dramatic changes in Russian foreign policy, shifting it from post- communist democratization to the path of aggressive revisionism and confrontation with the West. These changes are, to greater degree, regarded with Russian President Vladimir Putin's strategic vision on Russia's future. Since 2007, Russian revisionist foreign actions progressively led to confrontation with the West, which culminated in March 2014 amid Russian annexation of Crimea. The work discusses a number of aspects the Russia-West confrontation such as economic sanctions, nuclear proliferation, proxy wars and current rapidly evolving military escalation at the Ukrainian borders. This also includes Russia's security demands presented to the United States and NATO on 17 December 2021. Simultaneously, this work attempts to connect the role of Western sanctions in worsening of domestic issues inside of Russia such as declining demography, poverty and corruption. In addition, the thesis indicates unnecessary securitization of the Russia- West and Russia-NATO relationships. At the same time, the thesis attempts to show a number of the structural level threats that should be securitized by Russia. These challenges are growing Pan- Turkism and risks of strategic partnership with China, which may pose a...
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Regulation of Autonomous Weapon Systems: EU and U.S. policy strategies
Ortmann, Matyáš ; Špelda, Petr (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
This diploma thesis deals with the issue of autonomous weapon systems in connection with the phenomenon of artificial intelligence. Within the issue of AWS, the master's thesis addresses their potential regulation or complete ban. This burning topic is discussed based on an empirical analysis of international organizations and state institutions that deal with the matter. The main essence of the master's thesis is to approach the functioning of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapon systems, to map the development of AWS and to present the current situation in the context of AWS regulation. The secondary purpose of this thesis is to examine and analyze the international debate and to look at the arguments presented regarding the moral and ethical aspects of development and deployment of autonomous weapons. The diploma thesis concludes that at present times, there are still no fully autonomous weapon systems operating in the field, but their development is gaining momentum. Regarding the matter of regulatory measures of AWS discussions are taking place at present times. These discussions have so far resulted in individual agreements that correspond to the form of hybrid regulation. Individual countries approach the topic of AWS regulation based on their technological and economic capabilities...
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Russian Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine: Comparative Analysis of Two Cases and Identification of Critical Elements in the Successful Application of Hybrid Tactics
Starodubtseva, Albina ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
After the military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, and the swift, bloodless annexation of Crimea, the international community recognized Russia as an expert on hybrid warfare. However, the ongoing conflict in Donbas unleashed by Moscow during the second less successful hybrid campaign remains a sore point not only for Ukraine but also for Russia which has to cope with costly consequences in order not to lose in the East of Ukraine and more importantly in its undeclared war on the West. This thesis conducts a comparative analysis of two Russian hybrid warfare models: (1) in Crimea; (2) in Eastern Ukraine, and focuses on the following research questions: Why was the Russian hybrid warfare in Crimea more successful than in Donbas? What measures can the state take to improve its ability to face hybrid attacks? The findings reveal that despite the presence of a set of common factors, the different degrees of success and outcomes of both cases are attributable to the fact that successfully employing the full spectrum of hybrid warfare, is actually bound not only to a number of prerequisites but also with specific favorable features of the conflict zone and several critical elements. While hybrid tactics vary depending on country and region, it is built on exploiting the enemy's vulnerabilities, the...
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Ve světě dronů: Přehodnocení realistického pojetí suverenity
Veselý, Tomáš ; Vostal, Filip (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
This work assesses the evolving link between drone warfare and the concept of state sovereignty. In doing so, the paper critiques the existing realist and neo- realist discourses that maintain anthropocentric and state-centric assumptions in the analysis of not only the field of Security Studies, but International Relations as a whole. The phenomenon of drone warfare proves the opposite of such assumptions. The role of the state, and indeed the human, is continually decreasing with the involvement of hybrid actors. The drone is the embodiment of complex hybridity combining human and non-human actors alike. To better understand the contemporary execution of sovereignty, particularly in its role of maintaining the monopoly on violence, this paper will explore the premises of post-human perspectives in International Relations. In particular, this paper is inspired by the insights of Actor-Network Theory (ANT), which emphasises equal analysis of human and non-human actors. Sovereignty remains a relevant topic, but through the involvement of hybrid actors, it is devolving into a seemingly arbitrary distribution of violence. The role of human actors in drone warfare is decreasing with the technological improvement of military drones and the military demand for increased drone autonomy. As a result,...
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Autonomous Weapon Systems as the next revolution in warfare and implications of technology deployment for global security
Kvasňovský, Tomáš ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
This thesis addresses developments in Artificial Intelligence and the increasing trend of robotization and autonomization of military forces in the context of Revolution in Military Affairs. It examines and categorizes different approaches to concepts of AI, autonomy and RMA in the public debate and academic and military literature. It further explores potential impacts and challenges of AI and its weaponized subset - Autonomous Weapon Systems on civil-military relations, legal and ethical norms, arms control regime and general security domain. Building upon findings from previous chapters, AI and AWSs are analyzed in a context of RMA and broader socio-economic context. Specifically, AI-enabled autonomy is compared with aspects of existing remotely controlled systems. The thesis comes to a conclusion that AWSs are harbingers of the next RMA and AI has the potential to match the importance of Neolithic, Industrial and Information revolution.
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