Strategic culture as a tool of hybrid warfare

The article is an analytical review of domestic and foreign studies of strategic culture as a tool of hybrid warfare for the formation of identity in the interests of the political elite and as an analytical tool for the study of security problems. The aim of the project is to systematize the scientific results of relevant research works, generalize the main conceptual and methodological solutions in the study of strategic culture as a tool of hybrid warfare. Methodology. The principles of the methodology of the systematic approach and comparative analysis are used, the analysis and generalization of the studied objects are carried out in order to determine the leading trends in the development of scientific knowledge in the field of the theory of strategic culture. Results. The article shows that within the framework of the fourth generation of strategic culture research, most researchers rely on the definition of the main elements of Johnston's strategic culture concept as a set of common beliefs, assumptions and behaviors based on common experiences and accepted beliefs (both oral and written) that form collective identity and relationships with other groups, and which define the appropriate goals and means to achieve security objectives. The search for new approaches by a number of modern researchers to the conceptualization of strategic culture and modeling of its components is reflected. The importance of the theoretical development of the problem, which appears as one of the most important research tasks, is emphasized, which is confirmed by the increased attention to the study of strategic culture, especially during crisis periods of historical and political development. It is shown that at time in Russia the importance of this tool and its effectiveness were not appreciated, especially in relation to the post-Soviet space, in relation to which the United States and the West conducted systematic work to transform the consciousness of national elites and public consciousness through the promotion of distorted historical narratives through the education system, at the first stage, and through the unleashing of information wars and other instruments of hybrid warfare, and ultimately, by creating real threats to national security at the second stage of changing the strategic cultures of these countries. Currently, an empirical research base remains in demand and is actively being formed as a basis for further development of the main provisions of the theory of strategic culture. An analytical review of the scientific literature confirms the gradual formation of an appropriate conceptual and methodological basis for the study of the problem.