As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, Russia continues to wage a hybrid offensive on European territory. Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion, Russian services are said to have planned or executed 151 acts of sabotage, vandalism, and other destabilizing operations in Europe, according to a report by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), based in the Netherlands.
The authors of the report specify that only cases where investigations or evidence allow attributing responsibility to the Kremlin with a high degree of certainty are included. For this reason, the actual number of incidents could be higher, especially in the recent period.
Recruitment and “expendable material”
According to the ICCT, Russian agents would recruit vulnerable people in Europe to use them in sabotage actions, especially in states that actively support Ukraine.
Just since last summer, another 12 new cases have been documented.
Hundreds of incidents in Germany
In 2025, the security authorities in Germany recorded 320 attempts at sabotage, including numerous unidentified drone overflights near airports and military bases. Identifying those responsible, however, remains difficult.
Similar incidents have been reported in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and the Baltic states.
Details, HERE