European flights and shops face hoaxes and cyberattacks amid hybrid threat concerns

A series of hoax bomb threats forced at least six passenger flights to divert or land unexpectedly across Europe, while cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems have affected shops in several countries. The article presents these incidents, alongside reported Russian military activity, as signs of a possible expansion of hybrid threats, though it gives no evidence linking the bomb threats or fridge hacks to Moscow.

Flights targeted included services from Dublin, Lisbon, Heathrow, Manchester, Copenhagen and Bergamo; bomb disposal teams searched two Ryanair aircraft in Rome. Hackers reportedly caused some Belgian-made fridge units to switch to defrost mode, raising temperatures from -27C to 50C, and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre warned retailers to stay alert. Russia denies involvement in sabotage, while Putin has said Russia is ready for conflict but does not want war with Europe.