NATO explained how they will struggle with Russia's hybrid war

Patrick Turner, NATO's senior representative in Ukraine, explained how the Alliance will struggle with Russia's hybrid war. Moscow continues to carry out illegal activities, including reconnaissance.

Patrick Turner said this during an interview with "Ukrinform" on Tuesday, October 15.

Russia's hybrid war

Turner emphasized that Russia significantly intensified the use of hybrid tactics in NATO countries after 2014 as part of attempts to pressure the West after the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Donbas.

"I still think that it was a serious mistake, because there were probably still some parts of Europe at the time that did not immediately see a serious Russian threat in their direction. But when any state — Russia or any other — begins to influence in various ways other countries, trying to undermine them from the inside, this ultimately leads to the understanding that Russia is a problem for them as well, and not only for the states bordering Russia, or exclusively for Ukraine," he said.

According to him, more aggressive, active and open use of hybrid tactics by Russia, including sabotage, cyber-attacks, use of migrants as weapons, etc. is currently being recorded.

"Russia continues to throw down these challenges, to interfere and to carry out illegal activities in these countries, including reconnaissance," the senior representative of NATO in Ukraine said.

He says that the Alliance will remain calm, consistent and clear. NATO has already agreed on a set of possible measures that can be taken. Turner says it could be sharing reconnaissance, exposing these attacks, openly discussing the problem, and criticizing the perpetrators. Protective measures are also being implemented in cyberspace and on underwater infrastructure facilities.

"Some measures are taken collectively, and some are taken by individual members of the Alliance. But if certain countries carry out deliberate attacks on NATO member states, they have to pay for it. This applies to both Russia and any other players involved," Turner emphasized.

He noted that Russia's campaign does not prevent it from supporting Ukraine and defending its territories. Turner added that NATO welcomes the EU sanctions package announced last week aimed at countering hybrid threats.

Turner said that NATO cannot invite Ukraine while the war continues on its territory. However, this is not the only obstacle — there are at least three key requirements that must be met in order to enter.

In addition, NATO will conduct annual military trainings aimed at the defense of member countries. The military will be taught how to act in case of the nuclear weapon use.