As Putin Wages Shadow War, Europe Looks for a Way to Hit Back; News Analysis
European officials are weighing firmer deterrence as recent incidents blamed on Moscow include rail strikes, drone incursions and sabotage at factories.
- Russia is escalating a campaign of sabotage across NATO countries, aiming to break European support for Ukraine. Berlin recently attributed a failed explosive-laden drone at the Leipzig-Halle airport directly to Moscow.
- Hardline Russian analyst Sergei Karaganov wrote in 2024 that Moscow must instill "fear" to prevail against the West. The strategy involves 'hybrid warfare,' aggressive actions falling short of direct military conflict.
- Recent incidents include sabotage on railroad infrastructure in Poland, a Russian frigate firing flares at a Danish helicopter, and plots to kill executives of European armaments companies. These attacks represent a significant shift in Russian risk-taking.
- European nations are calling out the Kremlin, increasing societal awareness, and imposing consequences on Moscow to deter these threats. Former senior NATO official Camille Grand noted the number and nature of these events are dangerous.
- Governments must prepare funding and legal authority in advance to avoid delayed responses, warned Linas Kojala of the Geopolitics and Security Studies Center. Officials fear that accidents or intentional actions could cause significant loss of life.
36 Articles
36 Articles
As Putin wages shadow war, Europe looks for a way to hit back
Internally, the debate among European officials is whether and how to retaliate by taking the fight to Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a wider confrontation with European countries, UNIAN reports. Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned in an interview with Politico.
"Something much worse.". Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba believes that the situation in the country may become even more difficult than it is now
"Something much worse. "Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba believes that the situation in the country may become even more difficult than it is now.In his opinion, Ukraine risks facing a complete collapse of life support systems in the...
Across Europe, governments and intelligence agencies are reporting a growing number of hybrid attacks from Russia, which, according to Ukraine's former foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, indicates that Vladimir Putin is preparing to expand his war.
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