Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.37458/nstf.26.2.6
Communicating the Russian Threat: Intelligence Agencies’ Public Messaging in Europe (2025)
Lotte Nietzman
orcid.org/0009-0004-4939-1409
; War Studies Research Centre of the Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA)
Peter Schrijver
orcid.org/0009-0004-6526-0150
; Netherlands Defence Academy and Leiden University
Sažetak
Recent Statements by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis have emphasised the security concerns as a result of the threats posed by Russia (NATO, 2025a; Ukrainian World Congress, 2025). While European intelligence agencies traditionally operate within limited public visibility, they increasingly communicate about Russian threats through public reports – not merely for transparency, but as part of their institutional role in democratic societies. As the primary entities responsible for monitoring such threats, intelligence agencies play a crucial role in shaping public understanding. This research examines how European intelligence agencies communicate about the Russian threat through their 2025 annual reports and threat assessments. By analysing publications from Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Sweden and the Netherlands, the study investigates the communication strategies used to inform and influence public perceptions of Russian activities. Employing intelligence communication theory as its primary analytical lens, the study explores how intelligence agencies convey complex threat information to their audiences while balancing transparency and operational security (Petersen, 2019). By focusing on a specific year and a selected set of European countries, the study provides a comparative snapshot of intelligence communication practices in response to Russian security threats. The research applies thematic analysis to identify key themes, narratives, patterns and frames used within the reports (Braun, & Clarke, 2022). This method allows for a systematic examination of how intelligence agencies articulate threats, structure their messages, and frame Russian activities for public consumption. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of intelligence agencies in public discourse, offering insights into the intersection of intelligence, media and strategic communication (Schrijver, Nietzman, & Pijpers, 2025). This research will be of interest to scholars of intelligence studies, security studies, and political communication, as well as practitioners seeking to refine intelligence messaging strategies. The findings also hold relevance for policymakers on how to communicate security threats in democratic societies.
Ključne riječi
Strategic Communication; Intelligence; Transparency; Operational Security
Hrčak ID:
343308
URI
Datum izdavanja:
12.11.2025.
Posjeta: 177 *