NYT: Europe Seeks An Appropriate Response To The Kremlin's Hybrid Attacks
1- 9.10.2026, 15:36
Russians use tools that are difficult to attribute.
European countries are trying to find the best way to respond to Russia’s escalating sabotage—so as not to overreact, but also not to appear weak.
This is discussed in an article The New York Times, published on Friday, October 9.
European officials say they do not expect a full-scale Russian invasion of NATO countries—in their view, traditional deterrence has worked in this regard. However, when it comes to hybrid attacks, the response protocol is less clear—according to officials, they fear that “accidentally or intentionally, one of these attacks could result in significant casualties.”
As stated by former NATO intelligence officer David Kettler, who now works at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, Russia “is trying to break the will to support Ukraine and, in a broader sense, to change Europe’s security architecture.” He noted that the Russians are using tools “that are difficult to attribute, which, in their view, are significant enough to matter but at the same time small enough not to provoke a larger conflict.”
According to former high-ranking NATO official Kamil Grand, the response should be measured—to “avoid falling into Russia’s trap by overreacting”—but also to avoid being “too complacent and ignoring reality.”
Europe is attempting to strengthen its deterrence against hybrid warfare (aggressive actions that do not constitute direct military conflict) on three levels: by exposing Russia’s attacks and directly accusing the Kremlin; by raising public awareness and building more robust defenses around potential targets; and by taking measures against Moscow (sanctions, etc.) with a clear message to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
“Any attack must be clearly linked to specific response measures,” said Linas Kojala , an expert at the Lithuanian Center for Geopolitics and Security Studies . He added that European governments should “secure funding and legal authority in advance so that the response is not delayed by new political debates following each incident.”
This approach requires collective European unanimity regarding the response to unforeseen attacks. However, according to David Kettler, achieving such unanimity may be “quite a challenging task.”
The NYT noted that quite a few incidents in Europe have already been directly attributed to Russia or are believed to have been orchestrated at Moscow’s behest—for example, the sabotage on the railway in Poland in November 2025, the incursion of Russian drones into the airspace of the Baltic states, and so on. Among these, the incident involving the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig Airport in August stood out—at that time, Germany officially accused Russia of attacking a Ukrainian aircraft.
Some countries, such as Denmark, Finland, and Poland, are already preparing their citizens for potential military action. Analysts acknowledge that such measures are indeed necessary, but they cannot protect against accidents (including intentional ones) that could result in loss of life.
The initiative still lies with Russia, noted Linas Kojala. “The response must go beyond defense,” he emphasized.
According to the Lithuanian expert, such a response should target “the networks behind these operations.” It is necessary to identify Russian intelligence officers and bring charges against them, as well as to prevent the recruitment and funding of local proxy forces, he explained.
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