Baltic Sea nations to form task force against hybrid threats

In response to escalating security concerns, nations bordering the Baltic Sea have agreed to establish a dedicated task force to combat hybrid threats. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the initiative following a conference with his counterparts from the region in Flensburg.

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Hybrid scenarios are increasing and intensifying and are omnipresent. Foreign powers are trying to attack our security with hybrid methods, destabilize our democracies, weaken our economy.

The task force will be formed at the state secretary level. Its primary objectives are to bolster civilian security measures within the Baltic Sea region and foster a unified understanding of the evolving threat landscape. Dobrindt emphasized that hybrid scenarios are becoming more prevalent and intense, with foreign actors attempting to undermine security, destabilize democracies, and weaken economies through these methods.

Dobrindt stated that attackers are continuously testing response and defense capabilities. "We simply want to clarify, deter, and defend more quickly," he remarked. The threats extend beyond physical domains, encompassing cyber warfare and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. The minister stressed the need for coordinated responses to address the rising threat situation, predicting an increase in both the frequency and sophistication of hybrid attacks.

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We want to clarify, deter, and defend more quickly.

The recent drone incident at Leipzig Airport in early August was cited by Dobrindt as a factor that has heightened the perceived threat level, describing it as a "new quality of attack scenarios" and an escalating situation. He indicated that further decisions would follow an initial phase of reconnaissance and analysis.

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It is a new quality that we are experiencing there. It is a new quality of attack scenarios.

Discussions also touched upon the issue of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, with plans for a future meeting focused specifically on this topic. Irish Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan underscored the importance of European cooperation against hybrid threats, asserting that an attack on one nation is an attack on all of Europe. The ministers also observed demonstrations of drone countermeasures and visited a federal police ship.

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Whoever threatens one country threatens all of Europe.