Head of military intelligence: European security impacted by local conflicts elsewhere

The biggest security threats in the present day are the war in Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East and instability in Africa, where the big players are jostling for influence and natural resources, the head of Military Intelligence (VZ) Petr Bartovský said in an interview for the CTK news agency. He said that while these conflicts may be seemingly local, they have global implications and are making a significant impact on the security situation in Europe. In the long term, Bartovský warned about the growing threat presented by China which is trying to gain influence over the direction and trade policies of the European Union and the rest of the world. In the area of cyber operations, he said, it significantly outstrips Russia's activities and is increasingly aggressive.