Analysis

THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH “DEFENDS” PAUNOVIC

Institute “Octopus” responds to the statement of the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren The Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies “Octopus” assesses the statement issued by the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren as a compilation of Serbia’s manipulative narratives, which implicitly defends Minister Paunović. Following strong international reactions to the minister’s statement on the “ethnic cleansing […]

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THE WESTERN BALKANS IN NATO’S ORBIT

The Allies’ Declaration from the Ankara Summit (7–8 July) demonstrated NATO’s strategic clarity in addressing today’s global security challenges. By reaffirming its “ironclad commitment” to collective defence under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the Alliance responded to concerns about a potential transatlantic divide, as well as to threats posed by Russia and Iran, through

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The Limits of European Diplomacy in the Kosovo – Serbia Dialogue

Gjon Culaj, Associate Fellow at the “Octopus” Institute Since the launch of the European Union-facilitated dialogue in 2011, expectations were that the process would become the primary mechanism for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and for the consolidation of peace and stability in the Western Balkans. However, after more than 15 years

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SERBIAN-RUSSIAN ALIGNMENT IN ELECTION FOREIGN INTERFERENCE

(Remarks by Dr. Iryna Synelnyk at the OCTOPUS Forum “Electoral Integrity Under Hybrid Threats: Security Implications of Foreign Interference”) June 1, 2026 Share First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to work with the Octopus Institute and share my insights on Russian and Serbian electoral manipulation and influence.

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INTEGRITETI ZGJEDHOR DHE SIGURIA KOMBËTARE

(Nga diskutimi i Gjon Culajt në Forumin e Institutit OCTOPUS “Integriteti i Zgjedhjeve përballë Kërcënimeve Hibride: Implikimet e Sigurisë nga Ndërhyrja e Jashtme”) June 5, 2026 Share Në shoqëritë demokratike, zgjedhjet e lira e të drejta janë fundament i demokracisë përfaqësuese, duke siguruar legjitimitetin e institucioneve politike, stabilitetin e rendit publik dhe mbrojtjen e interesave

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The Psychopolitical Encirclement of Kosovo by Serbia through Montenegro and North Macedonia

May 14, 2026 Written by: Dr. Gurakuç Kuçi, Professor at Universum College and External Associate at ISLH “OCTOPUS” Serbia is inciting the citizens of Montenegro and North Macedonia against Kosovo, with the aim of gradually extending this sentiment, as part of its strategic communication against Kosovo, to the institutional and state level. This sentiment is

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Russia, Kosovo, and Ukraine: The False Model of the “Precedent

Author: Dr. Gurakuç Kuçi – Senior Researcher at Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies “OCTOPUS” and professor at Kolegji UNI The deepening failure to defend Russia’s aggressive and unlawful actions against Ukraine, its neighbors, and beyond is pushing this geographically large state (Russia) to lose the narrative battle in Kosovo. The President of the European Commission,

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Political polarization in the context of security

April 1, 2026 FacebookTwitterPinterest Share Gjon Culaj, Associate Fellow at the “Octopus” Institute Political and social polarization has become one of the most concerning and potentially destabilizing phenomena for the functioning of contemporary democracies (EPRS, 2025). From the perspective of contemporary security theories, social cohesion and political stability are considered essential elements of comprehensive security

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Religious authoritarianism as a method of hegemonic politics

December 12, 2025 FacebookTwitterPinterest Share What are the real threats from the combination of “verticalization of power” with religion in the Russian-Serbian doctrine of hybrid warfare? Author: Dr. Gurakuç KuçiSenior Researcher at the Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies “OCTOPUS”and professor at UNI College Autocracies rarely invent new methods; they usually recycle those that have worked

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