Between war and peace: Dutch intelligence reports threat from Russia
Photo: Vice Admiral Peter Reesink (defensie.nl)
Russia is stepping up its hybrid attacks against the Netherlands and European allies. A conflict in the gray zone between war and peace has already become a reality, according to the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD).
"We see that the Russian threat to Europe is growing, in particular after the possible end of the war against Ukraine," said MIVD Director Vice Admiral Peter Reesink.
According to him, the pace of NATO's military buildup is now much slower than Russia's. This is partly because Russia has switched to a military economy.
MIVD said that last year, it first detected an attack by Russian hackers on the digital operating system of the Dutch civil service.
"The conflict in the gray zone between war and peace has become a reality. State actors are increasingly trying to undermine our society through hybrid attacks. Russia is increasingly willing to take risks," Reesink said.
The statement also said that a Russian cyber operation against critical infrastructure in the Netherlands had been detected, which may have been a preparation for sabotage.
Hybrid warfare
Hybrid threats cover everything from physical sabotage of critical infrastructure to disinformation campaigns, the report says.
The MIVD characterized such attacks as a combination of traditional acts of espionage with cyberattacks and other attempts to influence and undermine society.
The agency reiterated its warnings that Russian entities are studying infrastructure in the North Sea with the aim of spying and sabotage against Internet cables, water, and energy supply systems.
Last year, the head of British intelligence, MI5, Ken McCallum, accused Russia of conducting a strikingly reckless campaign of sabotage in Europe, which included repeated cyberattacks and arson attacks linked to Moscow's actions.
