How russia Recruits Civilians in Europe for Hybrid War
European special services are registering an increase in cases of civilians being recruited by russian intelligence for espionage and sabotage.
▫️ Dutch counterintelligence reports that russia mainly operates online, promising people financial rewards or applying psychological pressure to gather information, conduct surveillance, commit arson, etc.
▫️ The Director of Intelligence and National Threats of the Netherlands, Youssef Ait Daoud, calls this model “crime as a service”: operations involve individuals without special training, who often do not understand that they are acting in favor of a foreign state. The main tool of recruitment is messengers, especially Telegram. The russians use similar tactics in Ukraine as well.
▫️ European countries are already responding to such cases by strengthening cybersecurity, creating specialized units, and conducting necessary information campaigns.
russia continues its hybrid aggression against Europe, using civilians as “disposable agents” for destabilization.
