We are officially living in what could be called World War IV. If we look back, the 20th century’s WWIII the so-called “Gold War” was essentially the United States confronting the Soviet Union, culminating in the USSR’s collapse in 1991.
WWIV, however, is different. It began not with conventional tanks rolling across borders, but as a hybrid war a type of conflict combining cyber attacks, disinformation, economic coercion, and selective military action. Its origins can be traced to 2007, when Vladimir Putin signaled Russia’s intentions at the Munich Security Conference. I explore the origins, goals, and implications of this war in my latest book, Russia’s Plot to Destroy America.
To understand today’s conflict, it helps to revisit the Cold War. After WWII, the Soviet Union aimed for global domination under the ideology of Marxism-Leninism. Their goal was clear: expand communism, turning countries into Moscow-aligned states, much like Eastern Europe after the war. The USSR’s anthem captured this mission: “The party of Lenin the people’s force, is leading us towards the triumph of communism.” Its coat of arms displayed a hammer and sickle across the globe, paired with the slogan: “Workers of all countries, unite!”
At the core of Marxist-Leninist theory is the idea of perpetual revolution: socialism and ultimately communism was deemed historically inevitable. Capitalism was to be replaced, step by step, by this “superior” economic system. For decades, the USSR pursued this globally, funding communist parties and anti-establishment movements wherever they had influence, through embassies or proxy channels.
Fast forward to today: Russia’s leadership consists of men who grew up in that Soviet system. Their ideology has evolved into the doctrine of “The Russian World” a nationalized version of global dominance. While the USSR promoted internationalism, Putin’s Russia emphasizes the superiority of its own system, culture, and language. English and the so-called “Anglo-Saxon” world are positioned as ideological rivals.
Putin’s hybrid war began with military interventions in Georgia (2008) and Crimea (2014). Georgia’s invasion lasted just five days, leaving Abkhazia and South Ossetia under Russian control. Crimea followed, swiftly annexed. These were not just regional conflicts they were moves in a broader strategy to dominate Europe.
In this context, Putin’s tactics extend beyond the battlefield. Russia played a role in Brexit, influencing Britain’s vote to leave the EU, and in 2016, helped secure Donald Trump’s path to the U.S. presidency. These moves were part of a larger hybrid warfare strategy, designed to weaken Western alliances and institutions while expanding Russian influence.
Ukraine represents the central prize in this vision. According to The Russian World doctrine, without Ukraine, a Eurasian empire that could challenge U.S. global dominance is impossible. Putin frames this as a “holy war” against the unipolar world, portraying Western Europe as occupied by the United States and positioning Russia as the liberator. His ultimate goal: unite Europe with Russia, creating a Eurasian superpower stretching “from Vladivostok to Lisbon.”
In essence, we are witnessing a new kind of global conflict a hybrid war that blends cyber warfare, political manipulation, and traditional military aggression. Whether you call it WWIII, WWIV, or the first hybrid world war, it is reshaping geopolitics, and we are living through it in real time.
Take note: the firsthand accounts and observations of this era are invaluable. History is being written around us.
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