Russian hybrid attacks and has become a battleground for the unofficial standoff between Russia and NATO. The Kremlin is attempting to destabilize the situation there by resorting to provocations and actions that fall short of open military conflict. Regular flights by Russian military aircraft near NATO airspace, interference with satellite...
The new tactics of Russian special services against the European defense industry
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has forced adjustments to the strategy of Russian intelligence and subversive activities in the European Union. While in the early stages of the full-scale invasion the Kremlin’s main instruments of influence were largely disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure, today the priority target has become...
From Berlin to Paris: How crypto scammers from Southeast Asia are hunting Europeans
In May–July 2026, the FBI under Director Kash Patel announced the results of a large-scale intercontinental operation codenamed “Operation Blackout.” According to official Bureau data, over roughly 16 months of work, $15.2 billion was seized, including a U.S. record of 127,000 bitcoins. Hundreds of suspects were arrested across several continents,...
Why Russia’s shadow LNG fleet threatens the effectiveness of the European embargo
While European institutions prepare for the final embargo on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), scheduled for 1 January 2027, Moscow is rolling out an unprecedented special operation at sea in terms of its technical and legal complexity. Having failed to halt sanctions pressure through conventional diplomatic means, the Kremlin, together...
How the Finnish Nornickel Harjavalta plant is helping Russia to make money despite the sanctions
Finland is among the countries that support and consistently advocate for stronger sanctions against Russia. However, its trade statistics for 2026 have painted a contradictory picture: after a significant decline in Finnish-Russian trade volumes, imports from Russia have begun to rise again. The reason is the increased purchase of Russian...
How AfD became a haven for former Stasi agents and officers
Alternative for Germany (AfD) positions itself as a political force that opposes the current political establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany, state bureaucracy, and allegedly excessive control by intelligence services. It also promises to fundamentally change both the domestic and foreign policy agenda if it comes to power. The...
The 21st sanctions package left Russian fish untouched
In July 2026, after weeks of debate and difficult negotiations, the Council of the European Union approved the 21st package of sanctions. Yet contrary to the loud political statements that preceded it, one of the most discussed sectors of the economy vanished entirely from the final document: fisheries. As early...
Inside FSB Center 16: The secret cyber army waging war on Europe
On July 13, 2026, the European Union and the United Kingdom took an unprecedented step by announcing a coordinated package of severe sanctions. The measures targeted 9 individuals and 4 organizations directly involved in conducting destructive operations in cyberspace. Official Brussels and London openly identified the main organizer of this...
The Ukrainian card in the internal fight for the future of Poland’s conservatives
After losing power in the October 2023 parliamentary elections and suffering further drops in approval ratings, Poland’s conservative party Law and Justice (PiS) entered a deep internal crisis that, by the summer of 2026, erupted into an open confrontation between its rival influence groups and took on the characteristics of...
The digital transformation of Kremlin influence in Moldovan politics
Just a few years ago, interference in the electoral processes of states that Moscow considers to be within its geopolitical orbit was primarily associated with television propaganda, financing of loyal political forces, and the activities of openly pro-Russian organizations. However, recent events in the Republic of Moldova indicate a gradual...