Interesting paper on the topic by Estonia’s International.Centre For Defense And Security (download on the linked page):

Russia’s Hybrid Attacks in Europe: From Deterrence to Attribution to Response

Russia is not unique in using hybrid methods, so their effects and our response are closely followed by other actors, first and foremost China. Autocratic regimes favour hybrid warfare precisely because democratic states struggle with responding directly and proportionally. Hybrid attacks are usually deliberately designed to complicate detection, evade accountability, and hinder decisive responses. Additionally, the targeted nations may lack the capability or the political will to respond effectively.

@WizardOfLoneliness

The U.S. spends ~3.4% of its GDP for military.

Quick reminder that it is Russia that started the war and invaded Ukraine, and that Russia officially spends 40% of its budget for military, that’s ~10% of its GDP (for comparison: the GDP rate in western Europe is around 2%).

[Edit typo.]

As an addition:

Modern slavery in China

Since 2018, evidence of forced labour of Uyghur and other Turkic and Muslim majority peoples has emerged in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Uyghur Region). […] Forced labour imposed by private actors is also reported, in addition to forced marriage and organ trafficking, with vulnerability primarily driven by discriminatory government practices. While China demonstrated some efforts to tackle modern slavery through sustained coordination at the national and regional levels – including by adopting a new national action plan for 2021 to 2030[…] – its overall response is critically undermined by the use of state-imposed forced labour.