OddsFrontBudanov offers Ukraine's wartime expertise to Europe against Russian hybrid operations
Speaking at the Riga Conference, Ukraine's presidential-office chief argued that Central Europe increasingly recognises threats spanning propaganda, sabotage and attacks on infrastructure.
An offer made in Riga
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's presidential office and its former military-intelligence chief, used the Riga Conference to offer European governments Ukraine's operational experience in countering Russian hybrid activity. In an interview with Euronews, he said recognition of the threat was spreading beyond the Baltic states into Central Europe, where governments were increasingly confronting disruptive incidents and influence operations.
Budanov described a continuum that begins with propaganda and information operations and can progress toward more serious activity involving defence plants, airfields and railways. His account was a warning and a policy pitch: Ukraine believes the costly lessons accumulated during the war can help partners identify vulnerabilities and respond before ambiguous incidents escalate.
The distinction between assessment and proof remains essential. Euronews noted that Estonia was investigating whether an arson attack against a defence contractor was connected to Russia, while Germany had formally attributed an explosive-laden drone discovered at Leipzig airport to Moscow. Claims about incidents still under investigation should not be treated as settled attribution.
Why the venue matters
The Riga Conference gathered officials and security specialists in a NATO frontline state. NATO separately confirmed that Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska would attend during a Latvia visit that also included meetings with the country's foreign and defence ministers and a visit to allied forces at Camp Ādaži. That schedule places the conference within a wider discussion of deterrence, resilience and defence planning.
Hybrid activity is difficult for alliances because it exploits the space below conventional armed attack. Sabotage, cyber operations, covert financing and manipulated information can create damage while leaving governments debating attribution and proportional response. Infrastructure owned by private companies further complicates responsibility, making intelligence-sharing and pre-agreed response channels as important as military hardware.
Budanov's offer does not itself create a new NATO mechanism, and Euronews reported no formal agreement arising from his remarks. The next evidence to watch is practical: new intelligence-sharing arrangements, joint training, protection standards for rail and defence facilities, and faster public attribution when governments possess sufficient evidence. Without those steps, recognition of the threat may remain rhetorical rather than operational.