Denmark confronts Russia over hybrid warfare
Denmark’s top intelligence and defense officials have publicly assessed Russia as the architect of a growing hybrid warfare campaign against Western nations. In a recent press briefing, the intelligence chief described a range of disruptive actions, including sabotage and cyberattacks, carried out to test and destabilize Western societies. The assessment aligns with a broader European concern that Moscow is expanding its gray-zone toolkit without launching a standard military invasion.
According to the Danish intelligence chief, “the attempt is to sow doubt and fear while avoiding a full-scale conflict.” He stresses that the current approach relies on intermediaries who pose as activists, criminals, or other actors, rather than direct state forces. This portrayal, he argues, is intended to create an impression of imminent threat and to keep Western societies in a constant state of unease.
What the intelligence chief sees
“It is a war in the gray zone,” he said, outlining the hybrid strategy as a deliberate blend of influence, disruption and deniable actions. He noted that Russia’s objective is not merely to cause isolated incidents, but to erode confidence in Western institutions and to complicate collective security responses.
He also warned that Moscow would not abandon its broader goals if Western defenses strengthen. The message is clear: the threat will adapt, and so must Western responses. He emphasized that Russia wants observers to interpret any danger as a sign of imminent war, a tactic designed to cultivate fear and reduce resilience.
Hybrid warfare in practice: drones, cyber and influence
The briefing highlighted several concrete elements of Russia’s hybrid toolbox. One point of concern is the large number of drones allegedly shipped to neighboring Poland to probe defenses, tests that could reveal vulnerabilities and readiness gaps. In parallel, cyberattacks, sabotage and influence operations are seen as central components of the strategy, with the aim of destabilizing critical infrastructure and shaping public opinion without triggering a conventional military response.
There is also intelligence about a Russian naval presence south of Langeland, suggesting a possible role in broader gray-zone operations. While this does not indicate an imminent war, officials stress that such moves underscore the importance of vigilant maritime and cyber defense across the region.
The implications for Europe and NATO
Denmark’s defense leadership has been explicit: the hybrid threat from Russia is not a one-off event but a trend likely to intensify in the coming years. This assessment has broad implications for European security, prompting calls for renewed deterrence and a coordinated response within NATO.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen argues that meeting this challenge requires action on multiple fronts—national investments, broader European security measures and a united NATO posture. He says,
“This requires actions here in Denmark, in Europe and within NATO, and a strong unity that must be stronger than ever before.”
Poulsen underscored that the effort is far from over. A strategic focus on resilience means improving defenses, modernizing forces, and ensuring that Western values—freedom and democracy—are safeguarded against coercive tactics that seek to erode them from within.
<h2 The road ahead: deterrence through unity
The officials stressed that a robust response to hybrid aggression rests on a mix of deterrence, preparedness and alliance cohesion. They called for heavy investment in defense capabilities, stronger cyber protections, and interoperable defense planning with NATO partners. The overarching message is that Western democracies must demonstrate resolve collectively, avoiding fragmentation and maintaining a credible posture against any form of coercion.
As the security landscape evolves, Denmark appears to be aligning with its European peers to deter a strategy designed to avoid clear-cut battles. The aim is not only to defend territorial borders but to shield the liberal order from attempts to erode it through subversion, cyber disruption and influence campaigns.
