FORTRESS IN THE FOG: COUNTERING HYBRID WAR IN THE BLACK SEA BATTLEGROUND
FORTRESS IN THE FOG: COUNTERING HYBRID WAR IN THE BLACK SEA BATTLEGROUND

Author(s): Irina TSUKERMAN
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Communication studies, Security and defense, Military policy, Hybrid Warfare
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: Black Sea; hybrid warfare; cyber resilience; disinformation; counterintelligence; civil-military fusion; gray zone conflicts; NATO deterrence.
Summary/Abstract: The Black Sea region stands as a volatile theater for Russian-backed hybrid warfare and proxy-driven terrorism. As traditional defense mechanisms prove insufficient against disinformation, cyberattacks, and covert militia operations, regional actors must adopt a specialized, multi-dimensional infrastructure to counter this asymmetric threat. This paper explores the prospects for developing an integrated security framework that combines digital resilience, counter-intelligence coordination, and civilian-military fusion. Amid political divisions—ranging from contested sovereignty to energy rivalries – this approach aims to overcome fragmentation by fostering interoperable early-warning systems, regional information-sharing hubs, and legally agile defense postures. The goal is not merely to repel aggression, but to inoculate vulnerable societies against strategic subversion. A tailored Black Sea model of hybrid threat deterrence could serve as a blueprint for other conflict-prone zones, provided it is grounded in political will, trust-building, and adaptive engagement with both NATO and non-NATO actors across the region.

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