TO CREATE HELL IN HEAVEN: RUSSIAN HYBRID WARFARE IN GEORGIA’S PANKISI GORGE
Author
Chikovani, Tornike
Date
2020-12Advisor
Tsypkin, Mikhail
Hafez, Mohammed M.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Since August 2008, Russia has increased the use of soft power tactics in Georgia. Disinformation, propaganda, and fake news have become part of the everyday narrative spread by Russian media. Many scholars have studied Russian soft power and concluded that it mainly targeted Georgia after that country’s strong intention toward integration with the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Russia’s aim was to alter public opinion of Georgia and threaten the country’s image in the international society. However, one vulnerable region in northeastern Georgia has not received much attention. This study takes a closer look at Pankisi Gorge, a valley that borders Russia’s breakaway republic of Chechnya and populated mostly with ethnic Kists of the Islamic faith. Through the analysis of Russian media stories about Pankisi, this thesis finds that the valley is often presented as a “nest of terrorism,” creating a false sense of threat in the entire region. Additionally, this thesis discusses how Russia can destabilize Pankisi through fake news and actually use the situation for its possible military intervention in Georgia.
Rights
Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Russia's national interests towards the Caucasus: implications for Georgian sovereignty
Papava, David Z. (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2004-06);This thesis explores the causes of Russian foreign policy towards Georgia. It argues that the Russian Federation continues to pursue a policy which weakens the sovereignty of the Caucasus. The main priority of this thesis ... -
Russian stance in the Caucasus and the national security strategy of Georgia
Barnovi, Andro (Monterey California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2005-06);After the independence of Georgia, declared in 1991, Moscow's strategic stance in the Caucasus has been heavily influencing the formation of the Georgian State, and has created many problems to its security. Three separatist ... -
Using their own people against them: Russia’s exploitation of ethnicity in Georgia and Ukraine
Kendall, Kyle Oliver (Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2015-12);Russia consistently exploits ethnic divides in its foreign policy strategy, specifically against states in its near abroad. Georgia and Ukraine have been on the receiving end of this strategy for most of their post-Soviet ...