CYIL vol. 10 (2019)

CYIL 10 ȍ2019Ȏ HYBRID THREATS TO ENERGY SECURITY: PERSPECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW security, firstly as to the level of prices for the energy sources, and furthermore as to the possible influence on state politics. When analyzing threats to modern states, it should be noted that some may be classified into more than one area of security as distinguished by the authors of the classical security concept: for example, cyber threats, terrorism, even corruption and “shadow” economy, etc. Cyber threats arise due to two related processes: 1) the rise of the powers of international actors due to innovations in information and computer related technologies; and 2) the rising dependence on information systems, which make the states more vulnerable, create new vulnerabilities 14 Traditional approaches to state security usually focus on military, political, economic, social and environmental threats. However, over the last decades due to rapid technological developments and globalisation, the list of threats to state security has been extended. There are recognized, classical security theories that define what security is and what sectors of security are at stake. It can be noted that the importance of energy sector the disruptions of which may cause severe consequences to the society and functioning of the state, may also warrant the inclusion of this sector in the discussions about state security. Modern threats to a state security are very diverse and can threaten several sectors at once (for ex. cyber threats), or be interconnected to different security sectors (for ex., energy security). 1.2 Concept of ‘hybrid threats’ The term “hybrid threats” appears more and more often in nowadays international political discussions and other fields. Other terms could be hybrid warfare, hybrid conflicts, hybrid tactics, hybrid confrontations, hybrid operations 15 . The main aim of such actions would be coercing the opponent into acting a specific way. Examples include cyber-attacks, economic blackmail, information warfare and exploitation of ethnic divisions. 16 Beckers notes that “possibly the most accurate term for the phenomenon is ‘multi-domain coercion’.” 17 European Union also addresses these threats, but instead of defining, describes them in more flexible way. In the opinion of EU, the concept of hybrid threat “aims to capture the mixture of coercive and subversive activity, conventional and unconventional methods (i.e. diplomatic, military, economic, technological), which can be used in a coordinated manner by state or non-state actors to achieve specific objectives while remaining below the threshold of formally declared warfare.” 18 (EU, Joint communication, JOIN 2016 18 final). According to the EU, the emphasis is usually on “exploiting the vulnerabilities of the target and on generating ambiguity to hinder decision-making processes. Massive disinformation 14 JURGELEVIČIŪTĖ, Diana. Informacinio saugumo ir konvencinės saugumo sampratos santykis (The Relationship between the Concept of Informational Security and the Concept Conventional Security). In Geopolitikos akiračiai . (Vilnius, Eugrimas, 2004), p. 83-84. 15 BEKKERS Frank, MESSEN Rick, LASSCHE Deborah. Hybrid Conflicts: the New Normal. TNO – innovation for life http://publications.tno.nl/publication/34627573/imXFNr/TNO-2019-hybride.pdf [accessed 31 May 2019]. 18 Joint Communication of European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament and the Council “Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats: a European Union response”. JOIN (2016) 18 final. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52016JC0018 [accessed 31 May 2019]. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid.

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