Russia escalates hybrid warfare and sabotage threats across Europe

Russia is increasingly engaging in hybrid warfare across Europe, targeting defense industries and critical infrastructure to undermine support for Ukraine. According to the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo), sabotage activities have intensified since the summer, with a specific focus on defense sectors. While previous intelligence efforts focused on major EU powers like Poland or the Baltics, experts suggest the target is shifting toward the importance of the objective itself, meaning Finland and its defense industry are no longer immune to potential sabotage.

Reports indicate that Russian intelligence services have been conducting disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, arson, and damage to undersea cables. A high-ranking Western defense official noted that NATO faces a significant challenge because these provocations often fall below the threshold required to trigger Article 5. This gap in deterrence allows Russia to conduct covert operations, such as drone incidents or attacks on politicians' property, without facing a full military response. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has described Russia as having become more reckless in its actions.