The energy sector is the main common component of the security policy of the Visegrád Group (V4) countries. For years, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary relied heavily on the import of Russian gas and oil.

The relations between the Russian Federation and European countries are currently extremely complicated due to Moscow’s military operations in the east and south of Ukraine. One of the consequences of this state of affairs is the creation of a specific image of European countries by the media originating from Russia.

Due to Russian combat operations in the east and south of Ukraine, traditional forms of warfare are again of greatest interest in Europe. Meanwhile, the Russian Federation has numerous parallel cognitive activities, focused largely in the cultural sphere.

Open-source intelligence has become a vital tool for gathering and verifying information in today’s digital age. With the rise of social media and widespread online activity, vast amounts of publicly available data can now be collected and analyzed.

The recent attacks on Michal Šimečka, leader of Progressive Slovakia party, highlight a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting opposition, media, and civil society in Slovakia. By turning Šimečka into a scapegoat, the government distracts from its own missteps, using fabricated narratives to demonize dissent and suppress public scrutiny.