Amsterdam at real risk of hybrid attack by Russia; Unprepared for consequences: experts
The risk of Russia committing a hybrid attack on Amsterdam is real, and the Dutch capital is unprepared for the consequences, three experts warned during a meeting on hybrid threats in the Amsterdam city hall. Coping with long power outages is a particular issue for the city, said Tijs van Lieshout, commander of the fire brigade and director of the Veiligheidsregio Amsterdam-Amstelland, Parool reports.
“The risk of a power outage is very real. That is the mother of all crises. We are now focusing on the 72-hour scenario. Three days in the dark in your apartment, without heating, without a lift, without food: we must take that seriously.”
Water and communication outages are also a concern. In the event of an attack, drinking water will still flow for nine days. But sewers, elevators, and metros will fail almost immediately, Van Lieshout said. “After two hours, there is no more mobile phone connection, after four hours, there is no landline either. You can’t pay anymore, the shutters stay closed - it’s a big mess.”
Strategic analyst Gerben Bakker of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies and professor Bart Schuurman of Leiden University, who specializes in political violence and terrorism, spoke about how hybrid threats from Russia are developing and why Amsterdam is a target.
According to Schuurman, Russia has been much more active with sabotage, cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, and social disruption since it invaded Ukraine. He pointed out that Rotterdam is now the target of a digital attack every ten minutes.
Bakker warned of specific risks in Amsterdam. “We have the AMS-IX internet hub here, the port, and the homes of Russian dissidents like The Moscow Times. These are possible reasons for interference.” Both said that the presence of so many international links and sensitive infrastructure makes Amsterdam an attractive target in the broader geopolitical battle.
Van Lieshout stressed the urgency of making preparations and practical agreements. “We are now in talks with supermarkets. In Sweden, it has been agreed that if the power goes out, people can simply take what they need and the government will pay afterward. That prevents looting.”
The Amsterdam authorities are also working on emergency support points. “In a city like Amsterdam, public buildings need to be set up where you can go without a telephone. For information, medicine, or contact with a family doctor.”
