Russian forces could ramp up strategic acts of sabotage against NATO members in Europe, the Pentagon's outgoing lead special operations civilian announced on 7 January.
NATO allies have reported their experience with “nuisances” and “petty crime” stemming from Russian actors, said Christopher Maier, US assistant secretary of defence for special operations and low-intensity conflict. US forces are working with NATO partners to ensure they can “bounce back” from these types of activities, Maier said during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event.
“They're probing and looking to see where they might have opportunities to expand or broaden that type of activity,” he said. “If there's an opening there, these countries, particularly Russia, China, [and] Iran, are going to look to continue to expand on that activity.”
Western intelligence officials have made public statements about Russian disinformation, espionage, and sabotage efforts within NATO member states in Europe late 2024. While Maier said dealing with these threats will likely come from law enforcement or other means, US Special Operations Forces (SOF) could be important in understanding and sensing the co-ordinated elements of these threats. “We will be challenged at times to understand if this is a state actor or a non-state actor working on behalf of the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, SOF personnel reductions have troubled the force, said Maier. The US Army released a White Paper in February 2024 that described an SOF that could lose as many as 3,000 authorisations.
Maier said he supports the decision that was made “through the process we went through”, but noted that cuts in areas such as psychological operations, civil affairs, and intelligence could become more in demand based on the current threat from Russia and other international actors.
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