Grey Zone Warfare as Strategy: Ambiguity, Risk Management, and the Erosion of Order

Grey Zone Warfare as Strategy: Ambiguity, Risk Management, and the Erosion of Order

Grey zone warfare is not new. What is new is the role it now plays at the strategic level. Tactics that once sat at the margins of international politics have moved to its centre, shaping how states compete, coerce, and manage risk without crossing the threshold of open war. In a recent episode of The…

Dr Andrew Mumford

Dr Andrew Mumford

Dr Andrew Mumford is the University of Nottingham’s first ever Professor of War Studies. He is the editor of the Bloomsbury book series ‘Studies in Contemporary Warfare’ and Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of International Security (published by Cambridge University Press). He has published 4 books on facets of modern conflict. He has extensive experience in researching and engaging…

Episode 299: Grey Zone Warfare and Strategic Ambiguity: Risk, Deterrence, and the Space Between Peace and Conflict with Dr Andrew Mumford

Today, Dominic Bowen hosts Dr Andrew Mumford on The International Risk Podcast to examine how grey zone warfare, hybrid tactics and strategic ambiguity are reshaping the contemporary security environment. They explore why sub-threshold activity has become a central feature of modern geopolitics, how states exploit ambiguity and deniability to pursue strategic objectives without triggering open…

Episode 282: Live from Ukraine with Dominic Bowen: The Frontlines of Resilience and the Future of Leadership

Today, our host Dominic Bowen joins live from Ukraine on The International Risk Podcast for a special episode examining resilience, leadership, and hybrid warfare in the heart of Europe’s most critical conflict. In conversation with one of our international relations specialist, Dominic reflects on daily life in Kyiv amid the largest drone and missile attacks since the full-scale invasion…

Resilience, Hybrid Warfare, and the Future of Security: Lessons from Ukraine

Resilience, Hybrid Warfare, and the Future of Security: Lessons from Ukraine

In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen joins live from Kyiv in conversation with one of our international relations specialists to examine how hybrid warfare, authoritarian cooperation, and civilian resilience are reshaping Europe’s security landscape. Speaking from Ukraine as the country endures its most intense wave of drone and missile attacks…

Cormac Smith

Cormac Smith

Cormac Smith works at the intersection of authentic leadership & effective communication. He travelled to Ukraine in 2016 to take up a special appointment as the ‘Strategic Communication Advisor’ to Pavlo Klimkin, the then Foreign Minister of Ukraine. Cormac was attached to the British Embassy in Kyiv but was embedded in Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign…

Episode 275: Hybrid Warfare: The New Normal with Cormac Smith

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Dive into the ongoing war with Cormac Smith today. Dominic and Cormac discuss Mariupol, whether the war can be considered genocide, the disinformation war, the reality of Russian aggression, war crimes, hybrid warfare, the need for unity, and more! Today we are joined by Cormac Smith. Cormac works at the intersection of…

Ukraine

Ukraine at a Strategic Inflection: Risk, Pressure, and Uncertainty

Written by Elisa Garbil – 16.10.2025 Late in the night of 4–5 October 2025, Russian forces launched one of the more intense combined missile-and-drone assaults of the war. According to Ukrainian officials, more than 50 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with nearly 500 drones, struck nine regions across the country, hitting energy infrastructure, civilian districts, and industrial…

Episode 263: NATO in a Shifting World and the Next Chapter of Collective Defence with Dr. Jamie Shea

In this episode Dominic Bowen and Dr. Jamie Shea unpack NATO at a moment of historic change. Find out more about how fear has re-emerged as a unifying force within the Alliance, the political and economic challenges of reaching unprecedented defence spending levels, industrial bottlenecks and Ukraine’s role as a partner in innovation and supply,…

Episode 254: Current Updates on the Russia-Ukraine War with Stefan Wolff

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Dominic Bowen hosts Stefan Wolff back on the podcast to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. They dive into the current state of the war, how Trump’s ultimatum affects diplomatic tensions and whether this will actually change anything. Moreover they discuss Russia’s hybrid warfare and the challenges these bring to peace talks….