Russia is destabilizing Europe with sabotage: NATO reveals Kremlin's plan
Photo: Who is Russia trying to intimidate with acts of sabotage in the EU? (Getty Images)
Russia is trying to destabilize European democracies and discourage them from supporting Ukraine by resorting to sabotage and cyberattacks. RBC-Ukraine article, Arson, sabotage and 'disposable agents': How Russia is waging a covert war across Europe explained whether this tactic has a chance of succeeding.
What goal does the Kremlin have
A representative of the Alliance's headquarters said that hostile attempts to destabilize Europe are nothing new. The main goal of such actions is to undermine trust in democratic institutions and force Western countries to abandon further assistance to Kyiv.
What NATO said
“Russia wants to create fear, destabilise our societies, and deter us from supporting Ukraine. This will not work. Allies and partners continue to see a range of hybrid or grey-zone activities, including cyber-attacks, information threats, political interference, sabotage, and other hostile actions,” a NATO representative said.
What threats does the Alliance identify:
- Cyberattacks;
- Information threats;
- Political interference;
- Sabotage.
What is known about Russia's sabotage war in Europe
Meanwhile, NATO previously reported that the Alliance is strengthening cyber defense and information sharing due to threats from Russia.
According to a NATO spokesperson, the allies have agreed to direct more resources toward protecting critical infrastructure and expand data sharing to detect new hybrid threats promptly.
Poland published statistics on investigations into espionage on behalf of foreign intelligence services. In the eight months of 2026, law enforcement agencies opened at least 40 new cases under the relevant article, while there were 67 such proceedings throughout all of 2025.
