Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has stepped up its so-called hybrid attack campaign across Europe, including arson, cyber and information campaigns, and sabotage.
A recent example is the alleged cutting of energy and communications cables in the Baltic Sea, which German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described as “sabotage.” In this case, as in many other cases of hybrid attacks, it is difficult for the government to quickly and definitively attribute the attack to Moscow.
Appathurai said the number of these types of attacks had previously reached “completely unacceptable” levels. “We can definitely count dozens. Up to 100, of course. But there are many failed conspiracies,” he said.
NATO is updating its hybrid warfare strategy, first drawn up in 2015, so it may become clearer what types of attacks will trigger a full-scale military response.
“What we need to do now is to be clearer among ourselves and decide how to communicate to the Russians that there is also a no-go zone,” Appathurai said.
