Russia Expands Hybrid Warfare, Launches 'KGB 2.0'

Russia has intensified hybrid warfare tactics against Europe, including disinformation campaigns, sabotage, and covert operations, to destabilize Western nations. Western intelligence officials and experts warn of a new Russian spy unit, known as 'KGB 2.0' or the Department of Special Tasks (SSD), which consolidates various intelligence services and coordinates cyberattacks, assassinations, and disruptive acts across Europe. These activities range from orchestrating anti-Semitic incidents and spreading disinformation through campaigns like ‘Doppelganger’, to direct sabotage of UK infrastructure and espionage rings, such as a recently prosecuted Bulgarian spy network in the UK. The SSD reportedly operates within Russia's military intelligence structure and is linked to several high-profile plots. Russia denies involvement in these incidents, but NATO and European leaders see them as part of a broader confrontation with the West. Some experts observe a recent slowdown in high-profile Russian operations, possibly connected to negotiations with NATO and the situation in Ukraine.