The “Kremlin Playbook” – The Russian Methodology of Gaining Influence in Central Europe

Abstract

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a study entitled The Kremlin Playbook which analyses and presents the methods of Russia gaining influence in the Central and Eastern European states. The first part of the study examines the theoretical model, while the second introduces the effects of the Russian activities through five country-specific case studies (Hungary, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovakia and Serbia). This article summarizes the main points of the CSIS report adding necessary explanations to the events of the last month since the study was published.