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Sabotage, cyber attacks, espionage: NATO sees itself massively threatened by Russia – and is threatening Putin with reactions. People want to upgrade, especially in Poland.
Brussels – There is a new ice age in Europe: in the wake of the war in Ukraine, the NATO towards an ever greater confrontation with Russia. Due to the increase in Russian sabotage, espionage and cyber attacks on alliance territory, the Western military alliance increasingly believes it is in a hybrid war with Moscow. That’s why NATO headquarters now sent an urgent warning to Russia’s president Wladimir Putin. In some member states there is already increasing concern that this type of attack could not only last.
Espionage and sabotage from Russia: NATO warns of “malicious activities”
In a statement, NATO is currently accusing the Kremlin of targeted “malicious activities” and “acts of violence” on alliance territory. “NATO Allies are deeply concerned by recent malign activities on Allied territory, including those that have led to the investigation and indictment of several individuals in connection with hostile state activities in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom led,” the US news magazine quoted Newsweek from the paper.
According to the report, no specific details were included in the statement. But within the North Atlantic Treaty it is assumed that Moscow has a conscious strategy of increasing attacks on NATO partners. In general, the statement speaks of an increase in sabotage, acts of violence, cyber and electronic disruption, disinformation campaigns and other hybrid operations.
Putin’s hackers threaten security: NATO countries see provocations – Baerbock promises reaction
In fact, various provocations have recently been exposed: just two weeks ago, two men were arrested in Germany who wanted to spy on military installations in Germany for Russia. In addition, the email accounts of the SPD party executive were cracked by hackers in June 2023. On Friday (May 3rd), Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) explicitly attributed the cyber attack to the Russian group APT28, which is said to be in connection with Putin’s foreign intelligence service GRU. “This is completely unacceptable and will not go without consequences,” said the politician, according to the news agency dpa about the incident. In addition, the right-wing populist AfD’s contacts with Russia are repeatedly viewed critically, which means that the Kremlin apparently wants to influence public opinion.
But Putin’s spies are not only waging a shadow war in Germany. There have also been repeated arrests recently in Eastern European countries such as Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Increasing Kremlin activities have also been reported in Great Britain.
Cold War between NATO and Russia: Secretary General wants to push for help in the Ukraine war
NATO itself clearly attributes this to Ukraine’s support in its war of aggression against Russia. But the military alliance does not want to be intimidated by the provocations, on the contrary. After NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had already made it clear at the beginning of the week that NATO would not stop supplying the defenders with weapons and ammunition despite the military successes of Russia’s army on the Ukraine front, the alliance now sent another warning – and threatened Putin with consequences.
The NATO countries would respond “individually and together” to the threat, the statement said. And further: “We will continue to strengthen our resilience and apply and improve the tools at our disposal to counter and combat Russian hybrid actions. We will ensure the alliance and allies are prepared to deter and defend against hybrid actions or attacks.”
Saber rattling with NATO: Putin’s army appears dangerously close to the airspace of NATO members
But in Moscow people are still unimpressed by this declaration of war. Despite the published statement, Putin’s army immediately rattled its sabers. Just on Thursday, four Russian military aircraft were discovered near US airspace. According to Newsweek, the jets were observed in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which the report says is a type of buffer zone. They had not yet invaded American territory. But it was enough to alert the US Air Force. Such activities have also recently been increasingly observed over the Baltic Sea. It was only in April that Bundeswehr fighter jets had to fly to identify Russian planes near the Polish border.
Fear of attack from Russia: Poland calls for the creation of a “heavy brigade” in Europe
In Poland in particular, people are increasingly concerned about the threat that Putin is building. In Warsaw it is assumed that hybrid attacks do not necessarily have to remain the only thing. In an interview with the Polish television channel published on Wednesday TVP World Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski explained that they would “not be at all surprised” if Russia attacked NATO directly. In addition to increased cyber defense, he also called for targeted armament on NATO’s eastern flank. “Personally, I am – both in my previous role in the European Parliament and now – for a strong brigade, a quick response capability from the EU“So that we don’t have to rely on U.S. resources for every emergency in our periphery,” Sikorski said. (jkf)
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