Incidents of Russia-originated “hybrid warfare” observed in Europe in recent months have caused serious concern among the continent's countries.
Drone incursions into airspace, interference with navigation systems, cyberattacks, and sabotage targeting energy infrastructure have once again exposed vulnerabilities in the region's security system.
As the winter season approaches, these incidents pose a serious risk, particularly in terms of energy security. Modern.az reports that "Reuters" wrote about this.
In recent weeks, drone attacks disrupting airport operations in Denmark and Norway, Russian fighter jets entering Estonian airspace, and unmanned aerial vehicles observed over oil fields in the North Sea have demonstrated the fragility of Europe's defense systems.
Poland, meanwhile, was forced to shoot down drones that entered its airspace in September. In total, more than 30 similar incidents have been recorded in Scandinavian and Baltic countries.
Experts state that these types of “hybrid attacks”, meaning sabotage attempts carried out through technological and informational means without the overt use of military force, are part of Russia's influence mechanisms against the West. These attacks do not trigger a direct military response from NATO, but they deal a serious blow to the stability of energy and communication networks.
Energy infrastructure has not yet been subjected to direct attacks, but the risk is significant. The continent's thousands of kilometers of gas and electricity lines, underwater cables, LNG terminals, and wind farms remain potential targets. Similar incidents have occurred in the past: on Christmas 2024, a tanker linked to Russia dragged its anchor in the Gulf of Finland, severing the Estlink-2 power cable between Finland and Estonia, and a year earlier, the “Balticconnector” gas pipeline was damaged.
The European Union and NATO are working on new defense mechanisms in light of these risks. With an initiative called “Baltic Sentry”, maritime surveillance in the Baltic Sea has been strengthened, and a “drone wall” project is also planned for implementation along the eastern borders of the European Union. Nevertheless, the complete protection of energy and communication infrastructure is still not considered possible.
Europe enters winter with dwindling gas reserves, and storage levels are lower compared to the last three years. This indicates that potential disruptions in energy supply could result in price increases and higher heating costs.
Experts believe that European countries should invest more in the diversification of energy sources, renewable energy, and strategic reserves in the coming months. Otherwise, Russia's hybrid attacks could undermine not only economic but also social stability.
