CSS News and Impact

On November 25, the 2024 Bulletin on Swiss Security Policy was published. It addresses current issues in Swiss foreign and security policy and provides guidance for Switzerland's security policy in the context of a turning point in history.

This report explores the significance of drought hazards for civil protection organizations in Switzerland, both at the local and national levels.

International crises are a stress test for governments, offering opportunities to rally citizens but also risking dissatisfaction with tough policy choices. While trust in government has fluctuated in many European countries during recent times of uncertainty, the Swiss government has benefited from a reservoir of trust providing a buffer against dissatisfaction.

Georgia stands at a crossroads. Once a beacon of democratic reforms in the post-Soviet space, the country has grown increasingly authoritarian under its current government and distanced itself from the West. The parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024 will be a defining moment.

The EU’s embrace of its role as a “geopolitical actor,” and NATO’s renewed focus on deterrence and defense have had a significant impact on their respective approaches to partnerships. Both emphasize their partnerships are tailored, non-legally binding, and mutually beneficial.

Since the “Zeitenwende”, the shape of Switzerland’s neutrality has once again become a controversial subject domestically. The Federal Council has so far seen no need to change course, but will have to brace itself for intense debate in view of the “Neutrality Initiative”. This is also an opportunity to discuss in depth the question of a foreign and security policy that is fit for purpose and that serves Switzerland’s interests. 

A few hours prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia’s military intelligence (GRU) launched a destructive cyberattack against ViaSat’s KA-SAT satellite network, which was used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It prevented them from using satellite communications to respond to the invasion. After the ViaSat hack, numerous cyber operations were conducted against the space sector from both sides of the conflict.

Over the past decade, space and cyber commands have been established within armed forces. This analysis compares how France, Germany, the UK, and the US protect space infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Dr. Dominika Kunertova has written a capstone drone report that marks her recent departure from the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich. The report outlines major drone developments based on analysis of Russia’s war in Ukraine and its impact on the proliferation of uncrewed systems across operational domains. 

This report discusses significant milestones in the development of ransomware, and what turned them into a significant threat to human and national security.