BloombergBloomberg

Putin is already attacking NATO, just not all at once

By Andreas Kluth

11 Oct 2022 · 3 min read

Editor's Note

Here’s a very sharply written essay from a Bloomberg columnist who argues that Putin is fighting a hybrid war with Europe on multiple fronts—and the attacks are bound to escalate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin can wage war everywhere and in every way, and he wants all of us in the West to know it. That's why he's not just blowing up parts of Kyiv again. He's also threatening Ukraine, the European Union and NATO with nuclear escalation while simultaneously ramping up the hybrid warfare that he, as a KGB-trained warlord, has spent decades mastering.

Technically, the Western countries he attacks can't always prove right away that Putin is personally responsible for a specific act of aggression. That's in the nature of hybrid warfare, which deliberately blurs the boundaries between military, technological, psychological and other kinds of combat and dodges easy attribution. But experts are picking up that signature whiff.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms