In the last few years since the war in Ukraine began, several European countries have experienced unusual and suspicious activities. These events include online attacks, spying, fires, and efforts to spread false information. Investigations suggest that many of these actions may be linked to Russia or groups working in its interest.
According to a report studied by journalists from a global news agency, at least 59 such incidents have taken place. These actions are believed to be part of a broader strategy known as "hybrid attacks" which mix cybercrime, sabotage, and misinformation to confuse or harm other countries without direct warfare.
Some of these incidents involved hackers breaking into politicians' accounts or important systems. In other cases, there were attempts to cause damage through arson or even plans to smuggle explosives onto cargo flights. These activities have raised serious concerns among security agencies.
Officials from NATO believe these attacks serve two purposes: to create political tension within countries and to reduce international support for Ukraine. Nations that have supported Ukraine the most— like Poland, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia—have been targeted more often.
In the Baltic Sea, mysterious shipping activity has raised suspicions of Russian involvement in damaging undersea cables and pipelines. On land, authorities in some countries have accused Russia and its close ally Belarus of creating border tensions by pushing migrants toward their borders. Fires in Lithuania and Poland have also been publicly connected to these efforts.
When asked for a response, Russian officials denied all the accusations and claimed there was no solid proof of their involvement.
In a separate investigation, journalists from a European media alliance managed to secretly join an online group linked to Russian hackers. The journalist, after gaining the group's trust, was asked to perform tasks such as putting anti-West stickers in European cities and gathering personal data about people and groups.
This group was also linked to cyberattacks targeting vital infrastructure in European and NATO member countries. They appear to be part of a growing number of hacker collectives that act on behalf of Russian interests.
A European Union representative described these operations as an invisible form of war that is becoming more common across the continent— not just in countries near Russia.
Security experts say Russian intelligence may be hiring short-term agents through online channels to carry out small-scale missions. Because these people work anonymously and are hard to trace, it's difficult to hold anyone directly responsible.
According to the Czech foreign minister, there have been around 500 suspicious cases across Europe. Of these, about 100 have been officially blamed on Russia. He added that such attacks are happening more frequently now.