Cyber Security as a Vector of Tension and Negotiation in Relations between the United States and the Russian Federation

Abstract

Cyberspace has become a key dimension of international relations, going beyond communication and administrative functions to become a full-fledged field of strategic competition. This article undertakes an analysis of the relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation as implemented in cyberspace, showing it as a complex mix of interdependence, confrontation and attempts at dialogue. From the Cold War foundations of network infrastructure, through the geopolitical transformations of the 1990s, to contemporary cyber defence strategies, the two sides have developed different approaches to cyber security. The Russian Federation integrates information operations with intelligence and military operations, focusing on asymmetric influence through disinformation, sabotage of critical infrastructure and cyber espionage. The USA, on the other hand, has adopted a proactive defend forward and persistent engagement strategy, seeking to neutralise threats outside its own territory. Influence operations, which, as the 2016 and 2020 US elections have shown, have destabilising potential, are an important tool in this competition. The protection of critical infrastructure is also becoming critical. In the face of escalating tensions, three scenarios for the relationship are possible: further confrontation, cyber cold war or reset through digital diplomacy. Each depends on the effectiveness of trust mechanisms, legal norms and willingness to cooperate in a dynamically evolving cyber environment.