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Russia has shown an increasing willingness to take risks when it comes to causing trouble in Western countries, a shift that manifests itself in “more violent, hostile, or provocative actions,” the Military Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (MIVD) states in its annual report. The authors write that the Netherlands is caught in a gray zone between peace and war.
Russia's hybrid attacks primarily target organizations that support Ukraine in one way or another, but they have also been directed at military and logistics facilities in Europe, the report says. Russia's interest in the Netherlands is motivated by Dutch support for Ukraine, and also by the fact that the country is home to organizations such as the International Criminal Court and major technology companies.
“Our country is increasingly facing state actors who are attempting to disrupt and weaken our society through hybrid attacks,” said MIVD Director Peter Reesink. In his opinion, even if the war in Ukraine ends, the threat from Russia will continue to grow, meaning that the Netherlands and other EU member states need to build up their military capabilities as quickly as possible. “This is necessary to deter Russia, or in the worst-case scenario, to protect the Netherlands and Europe from a Russian attack,” Reesink emphasized.
According to the MIVD, Russian hackers carried out several cyberattacks on the Netherlands last year, targeting critical infrastructure along with an unnamed government entity’s computer system. The intelligence agency emphasized that the hackers failed to penetrate the network.
In addition, various Russian units are mapping the infrastructure of the North Sea. These and other actions indicate that espionage is being carried out in preparation for potential sabotage, the report warns.