Bits- or Blitzkrieg? Cyber operations in the Russia-Ukraine war

In the past years, many had expected that the next war would be a ‘cyberwar’. But that ‘next’ war, the Russia-Ukraine war, appears to be a traditional war, dominated by the use of kinetic force. Cyber operations were witnessed in the prelude to the war that started on February 24, 2022, but seemed less prominent during the war itself. Assessments of cyber operations in the Russia-Ukraine war can be made through analysis of the patterns of previous Russian influence activities. The authors argue that, taking the Russian way of operating into account, the cyber operations undeniably are a well-adjusted part of the current war.