On Thursday, AIVD Director General Simone Smit said that "in the eighty years of the existence of the AIVD and its predecessors, there has never been a threat like this," warning that national security is under constant pressure from multiple directions at once, Dutch news agency NOS reported.
Russia has become more aggressive
The report states that Russia has become more aggressive, brutal and provocative towards European countries, driven by Moscow's perception that European political and military support for Ukraine is increasingly hostile.
The AIVD said that Russia's actions indicate preparations for a long-term strategic conflict, not short-term pressure.
As evidence, the intelligence service cited Russian cyber operations from 2025 targeting the Signal and WhatsApp accounts of government officials and military personnel.
The attacks were linked to a Russian hacking group called "Laundry Bear", which the AIVD claims also carried out a major breach of Dutch police systems, exposing the contact details of tens of thousands of employees.
China is also a threat to the West and Europe
The report also warned of a growing threat from China, accusing Beijing of a long-running covert effort to steal sensitive knowledge from Dutch companies and research institutions.
The intelligence service said China's activities threaten economic competitiveness and are aligned with its goal of reshaping the global order along autocratic lines.
Dutch telecommunications providers were targeted in 2025 by a cyber espionage campaign attributed to Salt Typhoon, a hacking group that the United States claims is backed by the Chinese state.
The threat from China and Russia is expected to spread in 2026, targeting many nations across Europe, reports KyivPost.
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