Russia and China are leading destabilization campaigns

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that China and Russia are trying to destabilize NATO through acts of sabotage and cybercrimes.
Rutte added that Russia’s “escalating campaign of hostilities against NATO countries” will require the alliance to better share intelligence to coordinate the defense of critical infrastructure.
NATO foreign ministers are in Brussels for a second day of discussions at NATO headquarters, focusing on Russian and Chinese hybrid attacks.

Exciting facts

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavski said that 500 suspicious incidents were recorded in Europe during 2024, and about 100 incidents trace back to Russia.
He added that NATO needs to send a strong message to Moscow that these activities will not be tolerated.
NATO had expressed its fears of new acts of sabotage and dangerous cyber attacks on the alliance’s territory, according to what a senior official said on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
The official said that Russia in particular appears more willing to harm or endanger lives through sabotage in NATO member states.

Ongoing campaign

The official noted that Beijing, like Moscow, is carrying out an ongoing campaign to spread malware.
The aim is to conduct espionage activities, in addition to the ability to cause unrest if tensions escalate.
Russia is particularly targeting critical infrastructure, particularly industrial control systems, according to the official.
The official cited an example of a major attack, possibly carried out by Iran, on NATO member Albania, which disrupted the border control system. Interior Ministry files were also published online.