European countries are considering new ways to respond to Russia’s hybrid warfare, including joint offensive cyber operations and surprise NATO-led military drills, Politico has reported.
While it has waged a full-scale war on Ukraine since February 2022, Moscow has also increased its hybrid attacks across Europe, looking to destabilize democratic nations.
Russian tactics in recent months have ranged from drone incidents to incursions by fighter aircraft, GPS jamming and an explosion on a key rail link in Poland, which Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an act of Russian “state terrorism.”
Europe is now planning collective ways to respond, Politico reported, citing several senior European government officials and EU diplomats it did not name.
Ideas include joint offensive cyber operations against Russia, surprise NATO-led military exercises, as well as faster and more coordinated attribution of hybrid attacks.
“The Russians are constantly testing the limits—what is the response, how far can we go?” asked Latvian foreign minister Baiba Braže in a recent interview with Politico.
A more “proactive response is needed,” she said, “and it’s not talking that sends a signal—it’s doing.”
‘No-notice’ military drills?
While NATO is a defensive organization and won’t “stoop to the same tactics as Russia,” one NATO diplomat told Politico, “asymmetric responses are an important part of the conversation.”
One idea reportedly being touted is rapidly announcing whether Moscow is behind a hybrid attack and running ‘no-notice’ military exercises on the Russian border with frontline states, like the Baltics.
Another idea is to “be more proactive on the cyber offensive,” said Latvia’s Braže. For example, countries could use cyber methods to target systems critical to Russia’s war effort.
Last week, Italian defense minister Guido Crosetto slammed the continent’s “inertia” in the face of growing hybrid attacks and unveiled a 125-page plan to retaliate.
His plan suggested establishing a European Center for Countering Hybrid Warfare, a 1,500-strong cyber force, as well as military personnel specialized in artificial intelligence.