Archival image of Vladimir Putin. – -/Kremlin/dpa
The war in Ukraine in its most violent phase since February 2022 has upset the European geopolitical balance. THE Kremlin is accused by the Europeans of using an aggressive strategy combining conventional military actions in Ukraine and destabilization tactics towards Western countries. This offensive policy would manifest itself through cyberattacks, espionage and disinformation campaigns aimed at weakening European democracies and the unity of NATO. Tensions between Moscow and Western capitals have reached a critical level, marked by reciprocal economic sanctions and the expulsion of diplomats.
A protean Russian threat on Belgian territory
The Belgium directly suffers the effects of this hostile strategy. Belgian security services have expelled nearly 70 Russian intelligence agents in a few years. These spies collected sensitive information and photographed national strategic infrastructures. Francesca Bostyngeneral administrator of State Security quoted by the Belgian media RTL, nevertheless underlines the importance of a measured analysis: Systematically attributing every incident to Moscow would be tantamount to falling into the Russian trap aimed at creating a climate of widespread panic.
Cybersecurity at the heart of concerns
The digital attacks against Belgian institutions illustrate the sophistication of Russian methods. Hackers penetrate servers to steal confidential data before paralyzing systems with malware. To counter these threats, State Security has considerably strengthened its staff, practically doubling them in four years.
-Jihadism targets youth
Alongside the Russian maneuvers, the Belgium faces the spread of jihadist ideology, particularly among adolescents. Mohamed Fahmiresearcher specializing in jihadism at the ULBnotes that radicalization now affects minors via seemingly harmless platforms such as video game forums. This worrying trend is reflected in the statistics: a third of people involved in terrorism cases have not reached the age of majority. The Belgian intelligence services are mobilizing their increased resources to monitor and counter this dual threat to national security.
Swiss
