Russia and NATO Clash in the Southeast of Europe - Albania

Construction is booming in Tirana. October 2024

In October, I was in Tirana, Albania. This small country, which borders Montenegro and Kosovo to the North, Greece to the South, and Italy to the West ( 47 miles/ is the closest point coast to coast ), has been a NATO member since 2009.


A partner against Russian influence in the Balkans

Although small in size, the country is significant for NATO because it is located on Europe's southeastern borders, relatively close to NATO member Turkey.

Among other things, NATO has invested 50 million in the Kuçova military airport to modernize it for air defense and as a NATO hub for operations in the western Balkans.

The Balkans have a long history of Russian influence, especially in Serbia, where the government under President Aleksandar Vučić has tried to maintain a more balanced relationship between Russia and the West since the war in Ukraine started—mainly due to pressure from the EU.

Russia still uses soft power, misinformation, campaigns, and political pressure to insert influence in Serbia, and pro-Russian sentiment is strong among certain parts of the Serbian population. The Wagner group even tried recruiting in the Balkan country through television commercials and other campaigns, which forced the Serbian government to criticize Russian actions publicly.


Russian attacks and influence campaigns in Albania

Albania itself experienced a comprehensive and complex cyberattack from Iran in 2022. However, there are strong indications that the attack occurred with Russian support. On the other hand, Russian agents have been arrested near military bases, including a NATO base.

Russian misinformation is also being spread through various channels here, including misinformation campaigns by the Russian government, in which propaganda is deliberately spread, and anti-NATO and anti-Western ideologies are promoted.

Furthermore, the Russian embassy in Albania had undergone a significant expansion before the Ukraine war started, many of its members being Russian intelligence personnel. After the war began, Albania introduced twelve packages of sanctions, such as freezing the assets of 650 individuals and a complete ban on Russian flights, as well as declaring a few Russian diplomats persona non-grata, according to a Friedrich Ebert Stiftung report.

Even in a relatively small country like Albania, with around 2.8 million inhabitants, Russia is trying to exert influence, although Albania has repelled most so far. Economic relations between Albania and Russia are limited, and diplomatic relations are frozen. Notably, the large majority of the population perceives Russia's influence as negative or even very negative.

Albania, in conclusion, though small by size, is an important partner for NATO in Europe's southeast against Russian influence in the Balkans and beyond.

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