Call for a 'Godfather Test' to presume Putin behind unexplained attacks
An opinion piece urges NATO and the EU to automatically attribute mysterious sabotage, cyber incidents or drone incursions to Vladimir Putin unless proven otherwise.
The column likens the suggested policy to a 'Godfather Test', demanding that NATO and the EU assume Vladimir Putin is behind any unexplained drone flight, power-cable cut, cyber-attack, or sabotage that bears his hallmarks. It contends that democratic insistence on public, beyond-reasonable-doubt evidence lets Russia hide behind deniability and continue its gray-zone campaign. The author proposes reversing the burden of proof, treating such incidents as Kremlin-responsible unless compelling evidence shows otherwise, and responding with targeted, asymmetric actions that increase Russia's costs without revealing Western methods.
The piece stresses that responses need not be publicly announced, preserving strategic uncertainty. While acknowledging the risk of miscalculation, it warns that one outlet cautious approach encourages further Russian escalation.
Why it matters
It proposes a fundamental shift in how the West attributes and responds to covert Russian aggression.
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