This time, there is little doubt that Russia has just started a kind of secret war against Western countries. Entangled on the Ukrainian front, Moscow is said to be behind several criminal acts. A new form of hybrid warfare led by the Kremlin.
Russia on crusade against the West
For several months, a series of worrying incidents across Europe and the West raises questions. Apparently simple coincidences such as breakdowns, fires, computer attacks are, in reality, acts of sabotage attributed to Russia. These events, although discreet, underline a rise in power of “ hybrid measures » of Moscow against the West.
In recent months, some disturbing emblematic events have occurred. Among them, the crash of a DHL cargo plane near Vilnius, initially attributed to a technical problem, but now studied under a geopolitical prism. Another example, a series of arson attacks, including that of a Ukrainian company in Leyton (London), links local actors to Russian spy networks.
According to Sir Richard Moore, head of British MI6, these incidents are part of a ” concerted campaign » led by the GRU, Russian military intelligenceaimed at sowing panic and weakening Western infrastructure. These acts, sometimes attributed to locals recruited via criminal networks, further complicate traceability and direct attribution to Moscow.
A hybrid war
Cyberattacks occupy a central place in Russia's hybrid strategy. Last June, a ransomware attack targeted a UK NHS provider, crippling critical systems. Other operations aim to disrupt communications satellites and rail networks, causing cross-border disruption. These actions make it possible to test the response capabilities of the targeted states while blurring the lines to avoid a coordinated NATO response.
In addition to direct attacks, Russia operates a “ war of values » through disinformation campaigns aimed at fracturing Western societies. For example, payments to influencers to spread anti-Ukraine narratives. However, responding to this type of attack remains complicated. Despite economic sanctions and expulsions of Russian diplomats, efforts remain fragmented. The difficulty of identifying those directly responsible for attacks slows down coordinated responses.
