Atlantic Council fears Russian hybrid actions in Europe will intensify
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Atlanticcouncil
Russia’s campaign of hybrid actions in Europe could intensify in the coming months, despite doubts about Moscow’s ability to open a military front against NATO. The Atlantic Council notes that US intelligence officials and several European countries consider a limited Russian incursion into Alliance territory possible in the months ahead.
The Atlantic Council believes Russian hybrid actions against Europe are likely to intensify in the coming months, as governments consider the risk of a limited attack on an NATO country. The US think tank reports that US intelligence officials raised in August the possibility of a Russian incursion into Alliance territory in the coming months.
Officials in several European countries have also considered the possibility of a localised offensive, while some observers doubt that Russian forces, already heavily committed, could open a new front against NATO. The Atlantic Council nevertheless stresses that concerns are more broadly focused on grey-zone actions, which could aim to destabilise European countries and reduce their support for Ukraine.
The think tank says Russia’s campaign against Europe has intensified since 2022. It cites the attempted attack on Leipzig airport in August, interpreted by many observers as an escalation. The Atlantic Council links these pressures to Moscow’s difficulty in achieving a decisive breakthrough on the Ukrainian battlefield.
