On October 8, 2025, the Faculty of Social Studies (FSS) of Masaryk University in Brno hosted a discussion titled Hybrid Threats in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the World, or the Hidden Front of the Modern World. The discussion was led by Robin Burda from the Department of Political Science at the FSS, a researcher in the field of psychological operations and cognitive warfare, and the President of IVO Grigorij Mesežnikov. The event was organized by the Student Section of the International Institute of Political Science (IIPS) and the Brnenská kaviareň (“Brno Café“) Association. 

The discussion focused on the issue of hybrid threats in the context of the current situation in Europe and the world, their specific nature, manifestations and consequences. Speakers paid attention to the Russian Federation's strategy for escalating conflicts - both internal political conflicts in free societies and armed conflicts or security tension on Russia's borders with neighboring countries, especially EU and NATO member or candidate states. They pointed to Russian aggression against Ukraine as one of the central motivating elements in the various hybrid activities conducted by the Kremlin against Western states since 2014, after the annexation of Crimea. The experts analyzed narratives often used by the Russian propaganda apparatus, hostile to the democratic system and the pro-Western line in the foreign policy of Central European countries. 

One of the main topics of the discussion concerned the response of the democratic world to hybrid threats originating from the states with authoritarian regimes, the appropriate level of resilience of democracy, the effectiveness of strategic communication and the strengthening of social cohesion. The discussants also addressed the activities of domestic actors of Russian influence in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the overall political positions of pro-Russian forces and the way they communicate with the population.