The Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) assesses the security situation as more threatening than ever before. FIS Director Christian Dussey: "Our threat radar shows 15 hotspots simultaneously -- we have never experienced such a concentration of threats" (FIS: Switzerland's Security 2025).
Key findings:
The Security Policy Strategy 2026 explicitly warns: from 2028, a "vulnerability window" could emerge in which Europe is not yet defense-capable while Russia ramps up its war economy (DDPS: Security Policy Strategy; SEPOS).
| Weapon System | Type | Speed | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iskander-M | Short-range ballistic missile | Mach 6-7 | 500 km |
| Kh-47M2 Kinzhal | Hypersonic air-to-ground missile | Mach 10 | 2,000 km |
| 3M22 Zircon | Hypersonic cruise missile | Mach 8-9 | 1,000 km |
| Shahed-136 | Loitering munition | approx. 180 km/h | 2,500 km |
SWP analyzes that conventional cruise missiles can fly through alpine valleys to evade detection (terrain masking) (SWP, 2023). Armasuisse is examining the threat posed by hypersonic glide vehicles (Armasuisse: Hypersonic). IFSH investigates arms control for hypersonic weapons (IFSH).
The Alpine Radar Shadow: A hypersonic glide vehicle at Mach 10 covers the distance from the Austrian border to Bern (approximately 150 km) in under 45 seconds. A conventional cruise missile reaches Zurich from the German border in less than 10 minutes.
Russia is already waging a hybrid war against Europe: sabotage of critical infrastructure, maritime operations against undersea cables, and targeted disruption of NATO mobility (CSIS: Shadow War). Switzerland is particularly exposed as a financial center, commodity trading hub, and seat of international organizations (ECFR: Switzerland). Pro-Russian hacktivists are attacking critical infrastructure (CISA, 2025; ECFR: Energy Security).
NDU Press analyzes Swiss neutrality after the Russian invasion: in a crisis, Switzerland would face the choice between shooting down transiting missiles (risk of becoming a belligerent) and passivity (loss of sovereignty) (NDU Press, 2023).