<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In recent years, the concept of grey zone has been popularised to analyse the activities a State can use to influence the decisions and to limit the strategic choices of another State below the threshold of war. This article presents a case study, aimed at verifying if the Russian activities in the Czech Republic may constitute a grey zone. The paper commences by introducing the concept of the grey zone and developing the appropriate theoretical framework to identify its main characteristics. It continues by examining the Russian influence in the Czech Republic by using open sources, local sources and documents from the Czech intelligence services. It concludes by asserting that the analysed case meets most of the requirements to classify it as a ‘limited grey zone’. This new theoretical development may help to assess similar situations that may occur in this or other nations.</p></abstract>

In recent years, the concept of grey zone has been popularised to analyse the activities a State can use to influence the decisions and to limit the strategic choices of another State below the threshold of war. This article presents a case study, aimed at verifying if the Russian activities in the Czech Republic may constitute a grey zone. The paper commences by introducing the concept of the grey zone and developing the appropriate theoretical framework to identify its main characteristics. It continues by examining the Russian influence in the Czech Republic by using open sources, local sources and documents from the Czech intelligence services. It concludes by asserting that the analysed case meets most of the requirements to classify it as a ‘limited grey zone’. This new theoretical development may help to assess similar situations that may occur in this or other nations.

Russian Influence in the Czech Republic as a Grey Zone Case Study

professor of geopolitics and international relations at the Universidad of Barcelona

professor of political science at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide

Politics in Central Europe

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Russian Influence in the Czech Republic as a Grey Zone Case Study"}

In recent years, the concept of grey zone has been popularised to analyse the activities a State can use to influence the decisions and to limit the strategic...

Russian Influence in the Czech Republic as a Grey Zone Case Study

Published Online: Mar 01, 2021

Page range: 29 - 56

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pce-2021-0002

Keywords
grey zone, hybrid threat, Russia, Czech Republic, political influence, disinformation, active measures

© 2020 Josep Baqués-Quesada et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Russian Influence in the Czech Republic as a Grey Zone Case Study

Published Online: Mar 01, 2021

Page range: 29 - 56

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pce-2021-0002

Keywordsgrey zone, hybrid threat, Russia, Czech Republic, political influence, disinformation, active measures

© 2020 Josep Baqués-Quesada et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
grey zone, hybrid threat, Russia, Czech Republic, political influence, disinformation, active measures