Russia remains an imperialist state at its core, willing to sacrifice lives, resources, and freedoms to preserve its delusional vision of “greatness.” For centuries, the state has stood above the individual, demanding obedience while rewarding only the elite. In the XX century, this model started to break down – the USSR collapsed, and globalization opened Russia to world markets. However, its imperial mindset and endemic corruption never changed. Grand corruption corrodes every institution, stripping the country of the ability to modernize or innovate, precisely the requisites of dominance in the modern world. This weakness has left Russia unable to compete on equal terms, yet its desire for “great power” remained.

This contradiction has driven the Kremlin to develop a different arsenal — hybrid tactics designed to destabilize others rather than build strength at home. Cyberwarfare, propaganda, political interference, and corrosive investments all form part of this toolkit. Perhaps most insidious is the weaponization of religion. The Russian Orthodox Church has been reshaped into an instrument of state power, not a community of unity but a vehicle of influence, spreading ideology, justifying aggression, and reinforcing submission under the guise of faith.

This is the reality of Russia’s power today: a failed state with imperial delusions, too corrupt to modernize, surviving only through deception, violence, and the desecration of faith itself.

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing offers a unique opportunity to learn and understand another tool in Russia’s hybrid warfare arsenal.

Mariya Chukhnova, International Security Specialist, USA
& WFUWO Representative to the UNDGC/SOC