The Balkans remain one of Russia’s most likely second fronts in its war on Ukraine and on European Union democracies. China has emboldened Moscow’s revisionist agenda by propping up economically Kremlin-friendly state capture networks in the region. The Kremlin has escalated its efforts to destabilize the Balkans through a series of covert operations targeting law enforcement, intelligence, the judiciary, and more. In addition, Moscow leverages corruption, strategic misinformation, and economic pressures to maintain a fragmented Europe, manipulating vulnerabilities within civil security sectors to achieve deep-seated influence and control.