The defence ministers of Montenegro and Albania have asked NATO to send experts to counter hybrid attacks and disinformation from Russia.
Both countries are seeking to join the EU and say influence campaigns on social media aimed at destabilising the Western Balkans are increasing, Politico writes.
Montenegro’s Defence Minister Dragan Krapović and his Albanian counterpart Ermal Nufi stressed that the Alliance must step up its support. Montenegro plans to join the EU by 2028 and is preparing for parliamentary elections in 2027, while Albania is aiming for accession by the end of the decade and is holding local elections in May. Nufi said the Alliance should act more proactively, establish clear protocols and deploy response teams to countries that need them.
Krapović reported a lack of domestic resources, modernised equipment and staffing capacity to combat disinformation. He emphasised that Moscow is constantly running information campaigns, exploiting vulnerabilities in Montenegrin society. In addition, analysts point to the use of networks linked to the Serbian Orthodox Church and support for pro-Russian parties in Montenegro, where police last month detained Kremlin blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk.
In Albania, the situation around disinformation is fuelling political disputes. Prime Minister Edi Rama accuses Russia and Iran of stoking anti-corruption protests that have continued since May. Ermal Nufi noted that the number of online campaigns linked to Russian organisations that spread hatred has indeed increased in the country. However, local media experts say there is no evidence of Russia’s involvement specifically in the protests, and that the authorities are trying to delegitimise public anger. At the same time, experts are recording Russian manipulation around the issue of joining the EU, NATO and cultural matters.
Alliance representatives confirmed they are ready to provide additional assistance if there is an official request, and diplomats say NATO members are open to considering the matter.
- NATO has been creating response teams to hybrid threats since 2018, sending up to a dozen experts to monitor developments and coordinate action.
- Previously, such teams worked in Montenegro in 2019, in Lithuania in 2021 and in Albania in 2022 after an Iranian cyberattack.