Putin's shadow war is testing NATO's restraint

Russian President Vladimir Putin, dissatisfied with his protracted conflict in Ukraine, is attempting to coerce European countries that have become Ukraine's primary military, economic, and diplomatic allies due to the severe reduction in American assistance to Kyiv. Among the numerous instances of this strategy, an explosive drone was discovered at Leipzig Airport in Germany, vital undersea cables were severed or damaged in the Baltic Sea, parcels detonated at logistics facilities in Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom, a failed arson took place at a Czech bus depot, a Polish railway suffered explosive damage, and cyberattacks against North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members have intensified.

Although Moscow firmly denies involvement, Western intelligence and law enforcement agencies have convincingly attributed these acts to the Kremlin, in some cases leading to indictments and convictions. These incidents are classified as hybrid or gray-zone warfare, employing sabotage and disruptions to civilian targets without escalating to full-scale warfare.