"In the age of decentralized warfare, conflicts are no longer bound by geography. A drone launched from a garage, or a malicious line of code can hit as hard as a missile, though it can be deployed far from any conventional front lines. Nation states must now defend everywhere at once, and critical infrastructure has well and truly become a major target."
"This decentralisation means that front lines and battlefields no longer exist in the same way, and conflict isn't confined to physical, kinetic combat. Instead, cyber-attacks and sabotage have become standard elements of state conflict. Ukrainian officials report that Russian cyber-attacks have surged dramatically since the invasion, with roughly 70% more attacks in 2024 than the previous year. These are not indiscriminate attacks either; more than half targeted government systems, with a drastically increased share aimed at military command and control infrastructure."
Warfare has become decentralized and technology-driven, removing traditional front lines and expanding threats beyond physical battlefields. Small, remote tools like drones and malicious code can inflict strategic damage, making critical infrastructure a prime target. Western governments face the need to defend everywhere simultaneously and to prioritize cybersecurity and defense innovation. NATO agreed to boost defense spending toward 5% of GDP and reaffirm Article 5, while the U.S. encourages UK and European self-reliance. Russian cyber-attacks have increased sharply, with a large share aimed at government and military command-and-control systems. Cyber-criminals and hacktivists also threaten critical national infrastructure.
Read at Fortune
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