All articles tagged with #hybrid warfare
Russia’s hybrid warfare appears to be escalating as cyberattacks hit about 30 energy facilities in Poland, threatening a major blackout during a cold snap and signaling broader European subversion beyond Ukraine. The incidents reportedly point to the involvement of Russia’s security services (FSB), highlighting a bold expansion of Moscow’s clandestine strikes against critical infrastructure.
Russia is increasing hybrid pressure on EU/NATO forces in Lithuania, using surveillance drones, airspace violations and psychological operations against the German Bundeswehr stationed there. NATO Baltic air policing and German-led defense efforts are responding, while experts note the legal grey area around such actions and the aim to unsettle troops rather than trigger a conventional attack.
The article argues that Moscow treats peace talks as a front in war, leveraging a modernized Gromyko/KGB playbook: stall, push maximal demands, blame others, and use negotiation time to rearm. It highlights three core strategies—zero-sum competition, avoidance by sidelining key players, and punitive self-damage—to punish Ukraine while weakening Western leverage. Western rational-choice models misread Russia’s emphasis on intangibles like pride and fear, enabling Moscow to win on the battlefield while talks continue to stall. The Minsk agreements are cited as a trap; and the pattern—repeating from Georgia and Moldova to Syria—shows diplomacy being weaponized as hybrid warfare to achieve strategic victory rather than genuine peace.
Poland has led the EU in building a large, conventional army in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but experts warn that such forces face hybrid threats—like drones and other non-traditional warfare—requiring NATO and Warsaw to rethink tactics and capabilities beyond traditional equipment spending.
China has accused two Taiwanese men of leading a smuggling operation involving a vessel that damaged undersea cables in February, amid ongoing tensions and accusations of hybrid warfare between China and Taiwan. Taiwan denies Chinese involvement, calling the incident a maritime accident, and criticizes China's public accusations and reward offers for information. The incident highlights the vulnerability of undersea cables, crucial for global communications, to sabotage and accidental damage.
The new MI6 chief warns that Russia, under Putin, aims to export chaos globally, posing unpredictable security threats to the UK, emphasizing the importance of technological and human intelligence to counter hybrid threats from Russia, Iran, and China amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts.
Giant balloons carrying contraband from Belarus into Lithuania are being used in what Lithuania suspects is a hybrid attack to destabilize and exert political pressure, leading to border security measures, airport closures, and increased military patrols, amid broader tensions involving Russia and Western sanctions.
European officials accuse Russia of orchestrating sabotage and hybrid warfare activities, including planting explosives and spreading disinformation, with leaders like Poland and Italy warning of ongoing threats to security and accusing Russia of state-sponsored terrorism.
NATO is considering adopting a more aggressive stance against Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, reflecting increased concerns over Russia's unconventional military strategies.
BBC Verify reports on recent drone and airspace disruptions across Europe linked to alleged Russian hybrid warfare, verified footage of a deadly explosion in Delhi, Typhoon Fung-wong's impact in the Philippines, and a Russian Black Sea port attack, while debunking false claims about US politics.
The UK is deploying military personnel and equipment to Belgium to assist after multiple drone sightings caused temporary airport closures, with investigations ongoing into the source, possibly linked to Russia's hybrid warfare tactics.
A study reveals Russia has established a network of agents, including criminals, to conduct hybrid warfare against Europe through sabotage, illicit finance, and cyber activities, with ongoing efforts to improve EU responses and cooperation.
Three Bulgarian men involved in symbolic vandalism in France were sentenced to two to four years in prison, with allegations linking them to Russian hybrid warfare tactics aimed at destabilizing France through covert operations and propaganda, highlighting the use of low-cost, deniable tactics like vandalism and social media manipulation in modern geopolitical conflicts.
Lithuania accuses Belarus and Russia of escalating hybrid warfare through balloon incursions that have repeatedly shut down Vilnius Airport, prompting Lithuania to consider shooting down further balloons, close its border with Belarus, and potentially invoke NATO's collective defense clause amid broader regional tensions.
The article discusses the increasing concerns over drone disruptions across Europe, highlighting incidents at airports, debates over potential Russian involvement, and the broader context of hybrid warfare strategies, with calls for stronger measures to manage these threats.