RUSSIAN HYBRID THREATS WITHIN THE EU MEMBER STATES


Major (ret) Sînziana IANCU, Ph.D*

Abstract Contemporary conflict extends beyond conventional warfare, integrating cyber, informational, cognitive, economic, and space dimensions into an evolving ecosystem of hybrid threats. The boundary between war and peace is becoming increasingly blurred, as both state and non-state actors employ influence operations, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks to disrupt decision-making processes and target critical infrastructure. Recent conflicts have demonstrated the strategic importance of digital infrastructures, communication networks, and satellite systems in maintaining national and international security. The rapid development of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and quantum computing, creates both new opportunities and significant strategic vulnerabilities. In this context, resilience has become a central objective, requiring close cooperation among government institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society. Strengthening cybersecurity, protecting critical infrastructure, reducing technological dependencies, and enhancing international cooperation are considered essential measures for safeguarding democratic societies against hybrid threats.

Keywords hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, resilience, critical infrastructure.

DOI 10.56082/annalsarscimilit.2026.2.129


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*Corresponding member of the Academy of National Security Sciences, Minister Counselor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania, email: iancu_sanziana@yahoo.com, Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 050044, Bucharest, Romania, email: secretariat@aosr.ro.

PUBLISHED IN

Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Military Sciences, Volume 18 no 2, 2026

DOAJ, CEEOL

ISSN Print 2066-7086 ISSN Online 2457-8312