Putin's hybrid war: The secret battle for the Baltic

Описание: As the war in Ukraine rages on, Vladimir Putin has opened a chilling new front in the Baltic Sea. Now nicknamed a "NATO Lake," these icy waters have become the theatre for a murky greyzone conflict involving sabotage, subversion, and espionage.

The Sun has been given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Exercise Freezing Winds in the Gulf of Finland. We joined NATO allies as they rehearse for a nightmare scenario: a Russian attack on critical undersea infrastructure. From "shadow fleet" oil tankers dodging sanctions to the mysterious severing of undersea cables, the Kremlin is accused of ripping up the playbook to destabilise the West without triggering a full-scale military response.

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A drone plunges into icy Baltic waters from a snow-flecked warship – its mission to head for the seabed and inspect for signs of sinister activity.

Tanks may not be storming the borders or air raid sirens blaring – but here in Europe‘s frozen north, Nato forces are chasing shadows.

Scheming Vladimir Putin is ripping up the playbook when it comes to conflict, waging a hybrid war against the West.

Sabotage, subversion and espionage are chief in Vlad’s toolkit as the tyrant twists the knife just enough to destabilise the West – but not to trigger a military response.

Moscow has been accused of orchestrating so-called greyzone operations such as cutting of key communications cables and dangerous drone incursions in a bid to intimidate Kyiv’s allies.

It may have crept up on Nato, but the alliance knows exactly what Russia is up to as Putin struggles to achieve his strategic goals in Ukraine.

Read more: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3749523...

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