For ten years there has been talk of Russian influence on the British referendum to leave the EU. Only now is a British prime minister openly saying that it is true. Andy Burnham, who took over as Labor leader this summer, says he raised the question of Russian interference in the vote early on. The answer he received from within the security apparatus was yes â Russia was actively seeking to cut ties between the UK and the EU.
It is no secret that the Kremlin is trying to destabilize and sow division within and between the democracies of the Western world. Sometimes the mechanisms become extra clear, as when Ukraine bombed Russian data centers the other day and the activity around, among other things, the far-right Alternative for Germany accounts on X then plummeted. Were thousands of Russian bot accounts gone? But sure, of course it could have been a pure coincidence.
Sometimes the mechanisms become extra clear, as when Ukraine bombed Russian data centers the other day and activity around the far-right Alternative for Germany accounts on X subsequently plummeted
However, the Russian hybrid war is not only taking place on the Internet. European security services warn of increasingly serious attacks, including the murder of civilians in high positions in the defense industry. Already in 2024, American security services revealed Russian assassination plans on Armin Papperger, CEO of the German defense group Rheinmetall, but now the threats also apply to leading people at, for example, small drone companies. The plans do not even have to succeed in order to have an effect and reduce the willingness of individual companies to supply weapons to Ukraine.
According to EU diplomats and officials who spoke to Politico, a major Russian hybrid attack with a lethal outcome is becoming increasingly likely. It was pure coincidence that the armed drone that hit a plane in Leipzig in July did not explode. It was also a lucky coincidence that the fire at the drone manufacturer Milrem Robotics in Estonia in August was detected so early.
But faced with an enemy that is constantly escalating the grayscale war, Europe cannot rely on luck. We must also dare to ask ourselves the question: When Kremlin actors time and again engage not only in political influence and psychological warfare, but also in sabotage, arson and assassination plots against European civilians, without any consequences â why on earth would they stop?
Of course, we must stand by our support for Ukraine, but not only out of concern for the Ukrainians. The war is directed against us too. The new EU sanctions are a step in the right direction, even if at the same time Donald Trump is doing what he can to strengthen the Russian war chest.
If the EU finally succeeds in transferring the frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, however, Putin's imperial ambitions are truly threatened. Otherwise we just sit here and wait for the next attack.
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