NEW: 🇧🇪 Belgium’s National Security Council will meet on Friday to review the country’s growing hybrid…
Armed Conflict · · Belgium
NEW: 🇧🇪 Belgium’s National Security Council will meet on Friday to review the country’s growing hybrid threat. Federal security services and relevant ministers are preparing a plan to better protect Belgium against possible incidents.
Belgian Chief of Defence Frederik Vansina says incidents have escalated since the beginning of the year and that intelligence from Eastern European allies indicates an increase in Russian activity.
Vansina warned that Russia is seeking to undermine European support for Ukraine, both directly and indirectly, while so far remaining below the threshold of NATO Article 5.
He said Russia could eventually test NATO through limited actions against an allied country.
Vansina outlined several possible scenarios, including a false-flag operation. For example, he said Russia could potentially capture Ukrainian drones and use them against critical infrastructure in a NATO country. He also said another possibility could involve the temporary occupation of part of an allied country.
There are possible gradations in this, Vansina said.
He described Russia as flirting with the limit of Article 5, adding that until now it has remained below that threshold, but there is concern that it could eventually cross it.
At the same time, Vansina said there is currently no concrete threat to Belgium and that Russia is not currently capable of launching a massive attack against NATO.
Belgium is nevertheless increasing preparations, including investments in detecting and intercepting drones, while the government works with security services on how to respond to possible hybrid incidents.
Source: @GeoInsider
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