Russia is conducting an escalating and violent campaign of sabotage and subversion against European and U.S. targets in Europe led by Russian military intelligence (the GRU), according to a new CSIS database of Russian activity. The number of Russian attacks nearly tripled between 2023 and 2024. Russia’s primary targets have included transportation, government, critical infrastructure, and industry, and its main weapons and tactics have included explosives, blunt or edged instruments (such as anchors), and electronic attack. Despite the increase in Russian attacks, Western countries have not developed an effective strategy to counter these attacks.
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Today, Russian active measures support the following types of foreign policy objectives:
- Influencing public opinion through psychological operations in Europe, the United States, and other countries to support Russian interests.
- Coercing governments, companies, or individuals to stop taking specific actions, particularly curbing military and other assistance to Ukraine.
- Deterring countries, companies, or individuals from taking specific actions, such as escalating the type and amount of military aid to Ukraine.
- Deterring Russian soldiers, government officials, and citizens from defecting to the West.
- Creating fissures between governments, especially between NATO allies.
- Undermining the democratic norms and values that underpin the West.
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