Offensive Cyber Operations and State Power: Lessons from Russia in Ukraine

Offensive cyber operations are an increasingly important tool of authoritarian statecraft, used in the pursuit of foreign policy objectives and functioning as an expression of state power. Our article informs Canadian cybersecurity policy by pulling lessons from Russia's use of cyber aggression against Ukraine between 2014 and 2022. Our analysis explores the nexus between Russian cyber operations and foreign and domestic policy, the relationship between private and public cybersecurity organizations, and the purported intent and effectiveness of Russian cyber operations.