Montenegro and Albania seek NATO support to combat Russian disinformation campaigns in the Balkans

The defense ministers of Montenegro and Albania are calling on NATO to send experts and response teams to combat the intensification of Russian disinformation campaigns and hybrid attacks in the Western Balkans, according to Politico Europe.

Montenegrin Minister Dragan Krapović said that Russia is targeting society’s vulnerabilities through online influence operations. His Albanian counterpart, Ermal Nufi, accused an increase in messages fueling hatred and anger in the digital environment and called for common protocols and rapid support from NATO.

The appeal comes ahead of important political moments. Montenegro is pursuing EU accession by 2028 and will hold parliamentary elections in the summer of 2027, while Albania hopes to join the Union by the end of the decade and will hold local elections in May. Tirana has accused Russia and Iran of fueling anti-corruption protests, allegations denied by both states.

NATO agreed in 2018 to create teams for hybrid threats, usually consisting of approximately 12 experts. The Alliance intervened in Montenegro in 2019, in Lithuania in 2021, and in Albania in 2022, following a cyberattack attributed to Iran. Support for NATO stands at 95% in Albania and 52% in Montenegro.