NATO Urged to Confront Russia’s Hybrid Warfare Threat with New Red Lines

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Russia’s unconventional attacks on NATO, designed to remain below the threshold of open warfare, “look like war,” and the alliance must establish clear red lines to deter further escalation, a former Lithuanian foreign minister has warned. Gabrielius Landsbergis, who recently stepped down after four years as Lithuania’s top diplomat, expressed concern over NATO's pace in addressing these threats during an interview with *Sky News*.  

 

Moscow is accused of employing hybrid warfare tactics, including sabotage, cyberattacks, election interference, and even the cutting of undersea cables. These actions sit in a "grey zone," intentionally designed to evade triggering direct military responses. While the Kremlin denies allegations of engaging in such hostilities, Landsbergis emphasized the urgency of NATO acting decisively to prevent further incursions.  

 

“From my perspective, it does look like war,” he said, just days before leaving his ministerial role. He warned that a lack of pushback could embolden Russia, which he described as adept at exploiting geopolitical weakness. “Russians are… very good at sensing weakness or geopolitical vacuums. So, if there is no pushback, they will just creep on and continue with their activity.”  

 

Landsbergis did not rule out the possibility that a Russian hybrid attack could cross a threshold severe enough to invoke Article 5 of NATO’s charter, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. “Yes, I would think so. It is possible,” he said, stressing that Moscow must understand the alliance’s resolve to retaliate if red lines are crossed.  

 

"We have to have a general NATO strategy that would be able to draw red lines and suggest a retaliation," Landsbergis explained. “I'm not necessarily saying a retaliation in kind. Right. It can be many things. But Russians need to know that this is not their park. You cannot just walk around and expect nothing to happen to you.”  

 

While NATO’s 32 members are updating a 2015 strategy on hybrid warfare, Landsbergis expressed frustration over the slow pace of progress. He noted that countries with a history of Russian aggression, like Lithuania, recognize the urgency of countering hybrid threats, while others within the alliance appear more complacent.  

 

"No, honestly, it isn't," he said when asked if NATO's response matched the scale of the threat. “There's a big psychological, you know, game, at least in our minds, being played where we try to sweep it under the carpet and not see it.”  

 

His comments echoed concerns raised by James Appathurai, a senior NATO official tasked with updating the alliance’s hybrid warfare strategy. Appathurai recently told *Sky News* that an unconventional Russian attack against NATO could result in “substantial” casualties, urging allies to clarify what actions might trigger a collective response, including the use of military force.  

 

Landsbergis emphasized that decisive action is critical to ensure Russia understands its limits. “If we do not act, the danger will only grow,” he concluded.

 

Based on a report by Sky News 2024-01-02

 

 

 

[harryviking]

Russia's Hybrid warfare is a declaration of war! Grow some balls and give a hard response!! 

[billd766]

12 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Russia's Hybrid warfare is a declaration of war! Grow some balls and give a hard response!! 

And will you be the first to volunteer for the front line and get shot at?

 

War is NOT a game to play on your computer.

 

It means that you are willing to fight to your death, so that other innocent civilians that you will never know, can live in peace.

[Donga]

Anyone who thinks that Putin is clever is misguided.

Biden said from the onset, that Russia would pay a heavy price for their Ukraine war and they are. Their foreign relations have suffered, the economy is in dire straits and Russians are beginning to challenge the exercise.

I'm not a fan of Biden, but perhaps his drip feeding of weapons for Ukraine has sucked Russia into a modern day reversal of their previous Russian military strategies against Napoleon and Hitler. 

Be interesting to see what the Trump administration does.

[candide]

49 minutes ago, Donga said:

Anyone who thinks that Putin is clever is misguided.

Biden said from the onset, that Russia would pay a heavy price for their Ukraine war and they are. Their foreign relations have suffered, the economy is in dire straits and Russians are beginning to challenge the exercise.

I'm not a fan of Biden, but perhaps his drip feeding of weapons for Ukraine has sucked Russia into a modern day reversal of their previous Russian military strategies against Napoleon and Hitler. 

Be interesting to see what the Trump administration does.

Russia waited that it accumulated a significant foreign currency reserve, and also that energy price increased, before invading Ukraine.

Now they have spent most of their reserve and energy prices are down......