The Hidden Threat: Putin's Hybrid Challenges Undermine Europe From Within

Russia is preparing for a long and grueling war, the outcome of which in Putin's mind should be the invasion of Europe by Russian troops, the restoration of the former Soviet sphere of influence, and the change of the existing world order, in which there should be no place for freedom or democracy. Russia has consistently used its agents of influence in the EU, appealing to current political, economic, and cultural issues concerning the community. The contours of the future world order are being forged on the battlefield in Ukraine - if Russia gets its revenge, it will mark the beginning of the end of Western civilisation in its present form.

The provision of Western arms to Ukraine is a major problem for Russia, causing its troops to suffer defeats on the frontline. Russian propaganda and diplomacy are working hard to prevent new deliveries. To this end, the Kremlin uses a wide range of leverage: pseudo-pacifist organisations (Polish Anti-War Movement), nationalist parties (French National Front), economic and historical attachment to Russia (Hungary, which receives Russian oil at an affordable price, Serbia, historically gravitating towards Orthodox Russia). These organisations, parties, and countries are all, to one degree or another, opposed to helping Ukraine and providing it with weapons. Putin's intermediate goal is to undermine the European monolith and sow doubt and controversy. This will inevitably reduce the influence of the United States, the EU's strongest ally. Despite the sanctions and restrictions imposed, Russia maintains a presence in Europe through loyal politicians and businessmen - a starting point for scaling up covert threats that undermine European society from within.

Putin is preparing for a protracted war with the West, the main victim of which will be European countries; he intends that the former socialist camp should become a vassal of the Kremlin, and the countries of "old Europe" should become absolutely dependent on the Russian-Chinese alliance. Russia is ready to wage a war of attrition for years, while undermining Europe with political contradictions, provoking division among the European community, scaling up hybrid threats in the form of waves of refugees, demobilised criminals from the front, creating and financing ultra-radical movements that will destroy the prestige and influence of governing parties. This threat is all the more dangerous because it is hidden: the vast majority of Europeans are unaware of the danger looming over Europe. Russia could, overnight, destroy the average European's familiar and comfortable reality - the events in Ukraine are a case in point.

The future of Western civilisation is taking shape on the battlefield in Ukraine. Putin wants to turn a full-scale invasion of Ukraine into a systemic war that will mark the end of Western civilisation. To prevent this from happening, Russia must not win: while Europe hesitates to provide weapons to Ukraine, Putin is continually increasing his arsenal of weapons every day, with which he intends that the Russian army will massacre European countries in the near future.