US could use variety of economic, military and ideological tactics to destabilize Russia: Report

US President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a meeting in Helsinki on July 16, 2018. (AFP photo)
The US could use a variety of economic, military and ideological strategies to divide and destabilize Russia, according to a new report sponsored by the US Army.

The US and its allies could employ “nonviolent, cost-imposing options” to weaken Russia’s economy, military and government structures, the study by Rand Corporation examined.

The Rand report, titled “Overextending and Unbalancing Russia," said the US should fund operations with the secondary aim of unsettling Russia and diverting it to less-threatening pursuits that deplete its budget.

“Such cost-imposing options could place new burdens on Russia — ideally heavier burdens than would be imposed on the United States for pursuing those options,” Rand said.

“The RAND report openly details a shameless plot to drum up social discontent and societal divisions in Russia,” the RT said in a report published on Friday, citing the study.

The report says the US could “create the perception” that the Russian government is “not pursuing the public interest” and could “encourage domestic protests” which might distract the government and render it “less able or inclined to threaten Western interests abroad.”

This strategy probably would not work however, the document admits.The report comes as the US has accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 US presidential election and attempting to “sow discord” in US society.

US Special Counsel Robert Mueller recently released a report about the conclusions of his two-year investigation into alleged Russian interference in US elections and collusion between Trump’s election campaign and Moscow.

US President Donald Trump and Moscow have denied any collusion.

The US has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Moscow for what it calls Russia’s meddling in the US democratic process and its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.