Civilian Population Victimization: A Systematic Review Comparing Humanitarian and Health Outcomes in Conventional and Hybrid Warfare

Impact of war-associated factors on spread of sexually transmitted infections: a systemic review

Introduction

Statistical data indicate a link between war and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), then it is necessary to carefully analyze the factors that directly affect the identified pattern in order to overcome this problem. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to systematically analyze the factors that influence the spread of STIs during war.

Methods

The study included all original research articles and meta-analyses on the impact of war on the spread of sexually transmitted infections that met the following eligibility criteria: (1) articles published exclusively in English; (2) articles published in the period 2013-2023; (3) studies with quantitative, qualitative or mixed design. The search for relevant literature was conducted using four databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Ebsco.

Results

The articles selected for our systematic review had different research designs and were mainly published as original studies (n = 8) and literature reviews (n = 6). As a result of the evaluation of the selected articles for the systematic review, the authors identified migration, a decrease in access to health care, difficult access to contraception, sexual violence as the most frequent factors directly affecting the spread of STIs during the war.

Conclusion

This systematic review systematizes data on the impact of hostilities on the spread of STIs and outlines the main factors that contribute to the dissemination of pathogens far beyond the territory at the epicenter of the conflict.Systematic review registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023479808, CRD42023479808.

Social and Healthcare Impacts of the Russian-Led Hybrid War in Ukraine - A Conflict With Unique Global Consequences

Russia's fear of Ukraine becoming a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization catalyzed the current conflict in Ukraine. The invasion also alarmed other countries, such as Finland and Sweden, who have themselves considered a formal partnership with NATO. Russia's actions to date have created massive instability and political tensions that uniquely influence the health and socio-political life of civilians in Ukraine and the entire region. The direct and indirect threats of war "gone regional," "global", or "nuclear" have energized these countries and their historical alliances to reassess their own socio-political, environmental, and health-care consequences. All countries of the region have clear histories of forced occupation and decades of threats resulting from World War II and its aftermath. The purpose of this rapid communication is 2-fold. First, it discusses the socio-political and health-care consequences of the ongoing Ukrainian conflict in Finland, Russia, Sweden, Poland, and Ukraine. Second, it clarifies the most essential elements of the Hybrid War which cause uniquely distinctive violations of humanitarian laws, treaties, and conventions.

An Epidemiological Analysis of Terrorist Attacks in the Nordic and Baltic Countries from 1970 through 2020

BACKGROUND

Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the recent Russo-Ukrainian war that started in 2022, were triggers that radically changed the perception of security in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The on-going Russian hybrid war has resulted in a renewed global interest in the safety and security of many countries (eg, the Nordic-Baltic Eight). The prospective North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership of Finland and Sweden may drastically change the regional military and political landscape.The objective of this study was to identify and characterize all documented terrorist attacks in this region as reported to the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from 1970 through 2020.

METHODS

The GTD was searched using the internal database functions for all terrorism incidents in the Nordic-Baltic states: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.Temporal factors, location, target type, attack and weapon type, perpetrator type, number of casualties, and property value loss were collated. Results were exported into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis.

RESULTS

There were 298 terrorism-related incidents from 1970 through 2020. Most attacks occurred in Sweden, followed by Norway and Finland. No entries were recorded for the Baltic states prior to their independency in 1991. The 298 incidents resulted in a total of 113 fatalities and 277 injuries.Facility/infrastructure attacks were the most frequently identified attack type (35.0%), followed by bombings and explosions (30.9%). Armed assaults were responsible for 80 fatalities and 105 injuries, followed by bombings/explosions with 15 fatalities and 72 injuries. The predominant target types were immigrants and refugee shelters (64/298 incidents). In only 33.6% of the incidents, perpetrators were known. Right-wing assailants represented the largest group, accounting for 27 incidents.

CONCLUSION

From 1970 through 2020, there were 298 terrorist attacks in the Nordic-Baltic Eight. Sweden accounted for 50% of incidents.The profile of terrorist attacks was very diverse, as were the perpetrators and targets. Every country had its own incident characteristics. The surge of right-wing extremism must be closely monitored.

Narcissistic Sociopathy in Global Autocratic Leaders: Arrested Development, Obsessive Demand for Power, and the Emergence of Unlawful Hybrid Wars

There are several reasons why war occurs. The most lethal wars are those caused by 1 man's decisions solely driven by an obsessive need for power. With disregard for International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention, these wars, referred to as hybrid warfare, purposefully target civilians directly resulting in millions of deaths, injuries, mass migration, and other severe global and public health consequences. The purpose of this commentary is to investigate the developmental nature of those decision-makers and the consequences of their acts of aggression both locally and globally. There is a clear relationship between the psychological developments of individuals with narcissistic and psychopathological disorders and the implications of an abnormal progression of these individuals and their obsessive desire for singular leadership, which seriously impacts health-care security and its essential elements provided by international humanitarian law and Geneva Convention. Current double standards of the West allow narcissistic sociopaths and autocratic leaders to neglect international law, especially the so-called international humanitarian law. This double standard must be ceased and replaced by an international investigative system with universal standards, a special tribunal covering hybrid war crimes as well as the crime of aggression, and to prevent future leaders from choosing the same strategies.