Hybrid attacks attributed to Russia are testing the response capacity of the European Union and NATO, exposing new vulnerabilities in European defense. Expert Paulo Sande considers that Moscow seeks to "test the limits" of Western institutions through these operations.
The tools used in this strategy include drones, sabotage, disinformation, and political interference. These methods allow Russia to act without resorting to direct military confrontation, exploiting vulnerabilities in European societies.
Paulo Sande warns that the rise of the far-right and the growth of the AfD party in Germany may give "breath to Russian aspirations" to divide Europe. These political forces are seen as potential allies of Moscow's strategic objectives.
The threat of an open war continues to be considered unlikely by the expert, who prefers to focus on the immediate danger represented by the hybrid operations that are already underway.
