“As long as Putin can successfully disrupt Minsk negotiations using his terrorist puppets, it is unlikely that the tactics of Kremlin’s appeasement could lead to any result. Moreover, Putin seems to be thinking seriously about destabilizing the situation in European countries. According to my information, the Kremlin has already developed a scenario of continuing the hybrid war with the rest of Europe and the civilized world,” – said Ukrainian MP Sergey Vysotsky.

Around the end of January, the Chief of Staff of Presidential Administration of Russia Sergei Ivanov brought the issue of establishing a so-called “Russian Foreign Legion” to a meeting of the Russian Security Council. According to Ivanov’s plan, in 2015 Russia must prepare up to 10 thousand foreign fighters from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Hungary, the Balkans, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Their first combat should take place on the territory of Donbass under the supervision of Russian instructors.

After returning to their home countries, “Russian Foreign Legion” fighters will engage in subversive activities – the creation of a network of agents to undermine the statehood of these countries. According to Ivanov’s plan, in 2018 – the year of Putin’s re-election for the next term – Russia should gain control over a number of territories, which would be separated from the European countries using the hybrid war approach, following the model of separation of the Ukrainian Donbass. The revival of the imaginary Empire, according to Ivanov, could counteract the impoverishment of the Russian population preoccupied with dream of the Great Russian Empire.

Let’s recall that a number of ultra-right-wing movements in Europe endorse Putin’s politics and have long played the role of Kremlin’s fifth column in European countries. Especially prominent are opposition figures and parties. In France it is the National Front party, in Hungary Putin has taken Jobbik, the third largest party in the country, under his wing, in Greece it is the fascist Golden Dawn party, in Bulgaria it is the right-wing Attack party. The list goes on. In general, Russia’s war against Europe is just beginning, and soon “militia” and “rebels” could appear not only in Ukraine, but also in other European countries.

Reporting by InformNapalm, based on media sources and information provided by Sergei Vysotsky

Translated by Marina Kharkova, edited by Max Alginin

• English: Putin Is Preparing a Large-Scale Hybrid War in Europe
• Deutsch: Putin bereitet einen umfangreichen Hybrid-Krieg in Europa vor
• Español: Putin está preparando una guerra híbrida a gran escala en Europa
• Русский: Путин готовит масштабную гибридную войну в Европе
• Français: Poutine prépare une guerre hybride en Europe
• Slovenský: Putin pripravuje širšiu hybridnú vojnu v Európe
• Magyar: Egy nagyszabású hibrid háborúra Európában készül Putin