Montenegro and Albania demand NATO help against Russian interference
The defense ministers of the two countries warn about Russian disinformation campaigns and hybrid operations.
Quick Look
Montenegro and Albania are seeking more help from NATO to counter cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns attributed to Russia, as both countries seek to accelerate their accession to the European Union.
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Why It Matters
Montenegro and Albania are seeking to strengthen their digital resilience in the face of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns attributed to foreign actors.
“Russia continually carries out information campaigns,” warns Montenegrin Defense Minister Dragan Krapović in an interview with Politico. Both countries are calling for NATO experts to be sent, believing that the Alliance must be “more active in identifying ways to counter malicious actors online,” as Ermal Nufi, Albanian Defense Minister told Politico.
This is not the first time that Montenegro and Albania have requested help from NATO, facing the risk of interference from a foreign power. Indeed, several NATO teams visited the two countries. First in Podgorica in 2019, then in Tirana in 2022, when Albania was facing a cyberattack attributed to Iran, which had paralyzed government websites. Since then, destabilizing actions attributed to Russia have increased in the region, according to the authorities of both countries.
In Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama accused Russia and Iran of fueling the anti-corruption protests that have rocked the country since May. The Albanian Defense Minister also blamed “organizations indirectly linked to Russia,” claiming to have observed “their interactions online.” Accusations which must however be taken with caution, Moscow and Tehran have both denied any involvement in the protest movement.
Originally, the protest focused on a luxury hotel complex project linked to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, presented in 2024 in a protected natural area. Since then, the movement has grown and now affects other categories of the population, notably students and high school students.
A stated desire to join the European Union
In Montenegro, police last month arrested Mikhail Zvinchuk, a Russian military blogger, on suspicion of spreading Kremlin propaganda. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić also warned at the end of August of possible hybrid operations aimed at destabilizing the country and slowing down its rapprochement with the European Union.
To combat these influence operations, Montenegro and Albania wish to obtain support from NATO. The two countries are also continuing their rapprochement with the European Union, which they aim to join by the end of the decade. In its annual report on enlargement, presented on Wednesday November 4, the European Commission took stock of their prospects for accession.
Open Questions
- What concrete measures will NATO deploy?
