Bündnis im Alarmmodus: Nato registriert steigende Zahl russischer Hybrid-Angriffe

The number of hybrid attacks by Russia on NATO member states is significantly increasing, according to figures provided by the military alliance. Over 200 such incidents were recorded in the past year, excluding everyday cyber attacks, stated a high-ranking NATO official in Brussels. Thousands of these attacks targeted the NATO headquarters every month.

The case of a bomb-detonation drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport was explained by a NATO representative, who assessed that the explosive found had strong indications of direct involvement by a Russian intelligence service. "Semtex is not something you hand to any teenager playing video games," he said. Preparation for further escalation appears to be underway as NATO considers such incidents as hybrid attacks, similar to covert hostile actions below the threshold of a full-scale military attack, such as sabotage, cyberattacks, or disinformation campaigns.

The aim is often to weaken a state, create uncertainty, and achieve political or military objectives without triggering a conventional war. Russia aims to undermine political and practical support for Ukraine and prepare for possible further escalation, according to NATO assessments. This includes searching critical infrastructure and logistics chains, as well as planting malware in key industrial control systems.

NATO is particularly concerned about a change in the quality of attacks, with both the number and severity increasing, and the risk-taking by attackers growing. The concern is also about the risk of civilian casualties. For NATO, the priority is to remain calm and increase deterrence, both militarily and by reducing the incentive for attacks through effective protection of infrastructure.

Critical energy infrastructure should receive better protection with the creation of a new Critical Energy Infrastructure Network, where security-relevant information will be shared among operators. Joint emergency exercises and support in areas like drone defense and cyber defense are also planned. An example could be the deployment of offensive cyber capabilities requested by the NATO Commander-in-Chief for particularly serious hybrid attacks.