London(The COW News Digital) NATO’s top military commander has urged alliance members to enhance preparedness against a growing wave of hybrid threats, warning that adversaries are increasingly employing unconventional tactics to weaken Western institutions, disrupt security, and challenge democratic resilience. Speaking to journalists near NATO’s military headquarters outside Mons, Belgium, Gen. Aleks G. Grynkiewicz emphasized that hybrid warfare is now a central feature of modern conflict.
Hybrid threats, he explained, encompass a broad range of hostile activities that fall below the threshold of conventional military conflict. These include cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns intended to sow political division, acts of sabotage against energy facilities, and the use of drones for both surveillance and offensive operations. Grynkiewicz said that NATO members must build robust defensive capabilities and rapidly adapt to evolving tactics.
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“We are facing a threat environment where cyber intrusions, misinformation, sabotage, and drone attacks are not isolated incidents, but part of a coordinated strategy,” he said. “NATO member states must be prepared to respond swiftly, collectively, and effectively to hybrid challenges.”
The NATO commander acknowledged that the alliance believes Russia has been behind certain hybrid operations targeting Western nations in recent years. These alleged actions have included cyberattacks on government networks, attempts to influence elections through digital propaganda, and drone-associated disruptions. Moscow, however, has repeatedly denied involvement in hybrid warfare activities, accusing the West of politicizing security incidents.
Grynkiewicz stressed that attribution remains an ongoing challenge, as hybrid operations are designed to obscure responsibility. This makes public response, retaliation, and deterrence more complex. He said NATO is investing in intelligence coordination, real-time threat detection, and cross-border communication to prevent escalation.
Security analysts say hybrid tactics have become attractive for state and non-state actors because they offer strategic gains without triggering a direct military confrontation. The low-cost, high-impact nature of cyber and information warfare makes it particularly difficult for traditional military alliances to respond within existing frameworks.
The NATO commander also highlighted the need for civilian-military cooperation, noting that many hybrid attacks target non-military systems such as telecommunications, energy, media, and transport networks. He argued that governments must improve resilience, communication strategies, and legal mechanisms to reduce vulnerabilities.
“NATO remains committed to defending its members against all forms of aggression,” Grynkiewicz said. “Hybrid warfare is not the future — it is already here.”
