European Union officials are in preliminary discussions regarding the possible classification of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) as a terrorist organization. This consideration has arisen due to a series of hybrid attacks targeting EU member states that are reportedly linked to the GRU.
According to reports, European diplomats and legal experts are evaluating whether there are sufficient legal grounds to pursue such a designation and if it would garner adequate political support among member nations.
As explained by Radio Free Europe, in order for an organization to be listed as a terrorist entity within the EU, there usually needs to be a preceding judicial ruling from either an EU member country or a trusted third nation. Historically, GRU officers have faced charges in European countries primarily relating to espionage, assassination attempts, and the use of chemical weapons, rather than terrorism.
Potential legal justifications for this move may stem from cases in Lithuania. One notable case involves incendiary devices intended for transport to the US and Canada in 2024, which ignited while stored in Germany, Poland, and the UK. Reports indicate that in 2025, Lithuanian prosecutors charged 15 individuals with terrorism, which involved recruited operatives of the GRU rather than full-time intelligence officers, necessitating a legal assessment of the connection.
Another case involves six foreigners accused of plotting to set fire to a company in Šiauliai, Lithuania, that supplies military products and supports Ukraine. Their alleged ties to the GRU could also be considered a basis for potentially designating the Russian agency as a terrorist organization.
A unanimous agreement from all 27 EU member states is required for such a decision. Some officials believe that the existing sanctions against the GRU are sufficient, while advocates for a stricter approach argue that designating it as a terrorist organization would extend to the entire agency, including officers not currently under personal sanctions.
Reports suggest that this designation could facilitate the prosecution of local networks executing hybrid attacks on behalf of the GRU and enhance cooperation among law enforcement agencies across EU countries.
