EVOLUTION OF ECONOMIC SECURITY CONCEPTS UNDER HYBRID THREATS

Abstract

The article examines the evolution of economic security concepts under the growing influence of hybrid threats that combine economic, geopolitical, informational, and institutional instruments. It argues that the emergence of hybrid threats has fundamentally altered the analytical environment in which economic security is defined, assessed, and governed, rendering traditional stability-oriented and sector-specific interpretations increasingly insufficient. The study traces the conceptual transformation of economic security from early state-centered and protection-oriented approaches toward broader systemic and adaptive frameworks. It is shown that classical interpretations, which emphasized protection from external economic pressure and preservation of macroeconomic stability, were developed in relatively predictable environments and therefore inadequately capture the complexity of contemporary threats. Hybrid threats operate through indirect, non-transparent, and often non-linear mechanisms, blurring the boundaries between economic risk, political pressure, and security challenges. Particular attention is devoted to the role of uncertainty as a defining characteristic of hybrid threat environments. Unlike conventional economic risks, hybrid threats are not fully observable or quantifiable and often exploit institutional weaknesses, informational asymmetries, and structural interdependencies within economic systems. As a result, economic security increasingly depends not only on the prevention of shocks but on the capacity of economic systems to adapt, absorb disturbances, and maintain functionality under persistent pressure. The study further highlights the limitations of traditional risk-based and indicator-driven analytical models in capturing the complexity of economic security under hybrid threats. In response, the article emphasizes the growing relevance of adaptive, scenario-based, and system-oriented frameworks capable of addressing uncertainty, cascading effects, and cross-sectoral interactions. The findings provide a foundation for further empirical research and support the development of economic security policies that move beyond financial stabilization toward comprehensive resilience and adaptive governance in crisis-prone and geopolitically fragmented environments.