Sabotage Russia using criminal gangs to cause chaos, Europol warns

Russia and other state actors are driving an increase in politically motivated cyber-attacks and sabotage of infrastructure and public institutions in the EU, the bloc's police enforcement agency has found, as it issued a warning over the long-term security impacts of the war in Ukraine.

- Lisa O'Carroll

Europol's serious and organised crime threat assessment also describes how "hybrid threat" actors have established a "shadow alliance" with criminal gangs in Europe to try to destabilise the functioning of the EU and its member states.

It identifies "a broad range of criminal activities and tactics" being deployed by "criminal proxies" including sabotage, arson, cyber-attacks, data theft and migrant smuggling.

The report does not specifically identify Russia as a "hybrid threat actor", though it notes: "There is an increase in politically motivated cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and public institutions, originating from Russia and countries in its sphere of influence."

Poland's police chief, Marek Borón, warned that, even if a peace deal is struck, the Russian invasion of Ukraine would have a lasting impact, with a potential "increase in the black market in weapons and ammunition and attempts by Russia criminal-speaking groups to exert influence".