Air bomb alerts live: several planes in Europe hijacked for the second time in a week

Although it remains unclear who is responsible for the wave of bomb threats across Europe this week, one aviation expert said he is keeping a close eye on Russia.

“From a geopolitical point of view, I think you always have to think about the scenario of a hybrid war, in which a country in this way – today we look at Russia, right? – attacks us on several fronts, from railways to supermarkets to blood banks, more recently,” Eric Schouten, head of the air security group Dyami, told Reuters.

“The energy sector, the Internet sector and the aviation sector are part of it,” he added.

Russia has recently been accused by Denmark, Poland and Romania of causing disruption through hybrid attacks – hostile actions that target and destabilize an adversary through a mix of non-military tactics and cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.

The unconventional mix of techniques used in such an attack makes it difficult to identify a single actor, he said.

Denmark, Poland and Romania are also among the countries affected by Thursday’s disruptions, and Schouten pointed out that the affected countries supported Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Earlier Thursday, CNN affiliate SKYTG24 published an email from an anti-feminist group calling itself “The Male State” that appeared to reveal the origin of a false bomb threat regarding two flights to a Rome airport.

The International Counter-Terrorism Center, a Netherlands-based think tank, said the “male state” was created in Russia in 2016.

“He went from being part of one of Russia’s most notorious misogynistic movements to one of the leading online supporters and promoters of the war in Ukraine,” the report said.

Russia has denied engaging in hybrid warfare.