Hereford Military History Festival: Bob Seely

Bob Seely The New Total War and Charles Hecker Zero Sum discuss with Caroline Lang the unconventional methods Russia and other authoritarian states are using to challenge the West for global supremacy to undermine our beliefs, power and influence, from a financial and political perspective. From the revolutionary use of drones to staged coups, child abduction and psychological warfare, Russia’s new total war combines traditional military force with all the non-military tools of the Russian state. The 2022 invasion was the latest stage of a conflict that Russia has been fighting since 2005, to control Ukraine and wreak havoc. Conversely, Moscow in the 1990s was one of the most exciting places on Earth. You could see history being made before your eyes, and it appeared to be heading in a better direction, towards some form of democracy and more individual freedom. It also had the feel of a gold-rush town but the largest country on Earth had fractured. What was the role of foreign business in Russia’s evolution, and then regression, over the past 30 years. The most visible sign that western business was back was the opening of the first McDonald’s in Moscow on January 31 1990. Twenty-five years later there were about 850 McDonald’s in Russia, and 109 in Ukraine. They did not prevent the bloodiest war in Europe since 1945.