It remains unclear who is responsible for a spate of bomb threats across Europe this week, but one aviation expert said he was keeping a close eye on Russia.
“From a geopolitical perspective, I think we always have to think about hybrid warfare scenarios, where countries – you’re looking at Russia today, right? – are attacking us on multiple fronts, from our railways to our supermarkets to our blood banks,” Eric Schouten, head of aviation security organization Diyami, told Reuters.
“That includes the energy sector, the internet sector and the aviation sector,” he added.
Russia has recently been accused by Denmark, Poland and Romania of wreaking havoc through hybrid attacks (hostile actions that combine non-military tactics with cyberattacks on essential infrastructure to target and destabilize an enemy).
He said such attacks involve a mix of unconventional techniques, making it difficult to track down a single attacker.
Denmark, Poland and Romania were also among the countries affected by Thursday’s unrest, Schouten said, noting that the affected countries supported Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Early Thursday morning, CNN affiliate SKYTG24 published an email from an anti-feminist group calling itself “The Male State” that appeared to reveal the source of false bomb threat claims made about two flights to Rome’s airport.
The Netherlands-based think tank International Counter-Terrorism Center said the “Male State” was created in Russia in 2016.
“It has transformed from one of Russia’s most notorious misogynist movements to one of the main supporters and promoters of the war in Ukraine online,” the report said.
Russia denies participating in hybrid warfare.
