Megi Benia

European governments are preparing for a form of confrontation that their current investments do not fully match. While Russian-linked sabotage usually uses drones, logistics networks, criminal intermediaries, and deniable proxies against European cities, official policies and national strategies remain focused on detecting and intercepting each incident as it arises. This approach treats only the instrument of attack, leaving the vulnerability it exploits mainly overlooked. That vulnerabilit

Ahead of its annual spectacle of military ostentation — noticeably scaled down this year—  Russia's Defense Ministry issued two statements on May 4, 2026: one declaring a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9 and presenting the announcement as evidence of restraint and humanitarian intent; the other warning that Ukraine risked a "massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv" should it disrupt Victory Day events. Only from a Western perspective did the two statements appear contradictory. To seas