Of Drones, Bombs and Fake News: How to Respond to Russian Operations in Europe?
Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
- Hybrid event
- 3202 , Richcraft Hall, Carleton University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
Join us for an EETN talk and Q&A with an expert on Russian foreign policy and hybrid warfare: Dr. Mikhail Polianskii.
Talk description
Drones over airports, bombs hidden in cargo planes, blatant disinformation campaigns targeting democratic elections. Russia’s hybrid campaign against Europe has moved from the shadows into daily headlines. Germany, one of its central targets, has just publicly attributed the Leipzig/Halle airport sabotage attempt to the Russian government and closed its last remaining consulate in Bonn. Yet these steps are unlikely to end Russia’s hybrid campaign. Drawing on the latest evidence, this talk will discuss the options available to Europe and Germany, specifically, and how this confrontation might unfold.
Bio
Dr. Mikhail Polianskii is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the International Institutions Department at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), based in Germany. His research focuses on Russian politics, foreign policy, hybrid warfare, and the post-Soviet space. He has published on Russian domestic and foreign policy in leading journals such as Contemporary Security Policy, Europe-Asia Studies, and Communist and Post-Communist Studies, and is the author of several chapters in edited volumes and handbooks on post-Soviet politics. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Carleton University and the Berlin Center for Cold War Studies, and has participated in collaborative research networks on Eastern Europe and Eurasia.