The following text is only an excerpt of the text first published on European Voices. You can read the full version here.
Hybrid threats exploit the fragility of governance and nascent democratic institutions, building on the existing levels of mistrust in institutions, not ideology. They weaponise emotion and fears and use corrupt structures to keep the systems weak and vulnerable.
Since their independence and particularly since Vladimir Putin came to power, countries in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus have lived under the constant shadow of Russian interference. What has changed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is the intensity, sophistication, and speed with which hybrid attacks are unfolding. Whilst Ukraine is fighting a full-scale war, Moldova, Armenia, and Georgia have all become laboratories for hybrid strategies, particularly from Russia, ranging from energy coercion and cyberattacks to the manipulation of religion, media, gender issues, and diaspora networks.
These attacks aim to erode public trust in democratic institutions, fuel distrust in the West, and undermine reforms and cooperation with the EU and NATO. Where trust is already weak due to previous corruption, poverty, or elite capture, Russia digs in to amplify disillusionment and anger and fuel societal polarisation.
Hybrid threats use citizens’ distrust in institutions as an entry point to weaken states from within. The aim is to occupy two spaces simultaneously — the cognitive space, through fear and disinformation, and the institutional space, by exploiting corruption and weak governance. The goal is to have semi-functional states based on dependency and coercion. Corruption and illicit financial flows allow this to happen. Moldova’s experience offers a powerful case study of how these tactics evolve — and how Moldova’s response, built through cooperation, communication, and accountability, can raise the costs of interference.
The continue reading please click here.
