Russia planning 'grey zone operations'? Why is Europe intuitively spooked
European nations are increasingly concerned about potential Russian 'grey-zone' operations, which involve deniable acts of sabotage or cyberattacks that stop short of open war. The fear is that Moscow may probe NATO's resolve by targeting vulnerable areas like the Suwałki Gap.
Why it matters
The shift in European security strategy reflects a heightened state of alert regarding unconventional warfare and the potential for accidental escalation between Russia and NATO.
What if Russia strikes Nato territory, but makes it look like an accident?That is the possibility now worrying Europe. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia could strike Nato territory and make it appear accidental: what is considered a "deniable grey-zone operation".Britain has urged its citizens to keep tinned food and water at home, while Germany is readying hospitals for mass casualties.Even Switzerland, a country that has avoided military alliances for two centuries, has adopted a security strategy built around defending itself if attacked. None of this appears to be a coincidence. It reflects a shared, growing fear that Vladimir Putin may be preparing to test Nato somewhere beyond Ukraine's borders.The shadow warMuch of what worries Western officials is not a tank invasion but something harder to pin down.
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