2025

Tikanmäki, Ilkka; Ruoslahti, Harri

This chapter explores crisis management within the context of hybrid threats and Grey Zone warfare, emphasizing the need for a multifaceted approach involving detection, deterrence, and response strategies. A framework for managing crises that fall below the threshold of conventional war draws on EU and NATO literature. This chapter identifies eight critical elements of crisis management, including leadership, mental resilience, defense capabilities, and internal security, linking these to effective countermeasures against Grey Zone attacks. It underscores the importance of alliances and networks, especially for small states with limited resources, to bolster their crisis response capabilities. Crisis management must be proactive, continuously adapting to the evolving nature of hybrid threats, which exploit the ambiguous area between peace and war through military, cyber, and information warfare tactics. Democratic societies face challenges distinguishing between hostile and opportunistic actions, stressing the need for robust legal, regulatory, and coordination frameworks. This chapter concludes that maintaining resilience through international cooperation, public awareness, and flexible response strategies is crucial for effective crisis management in the face of hybrid threats.