HYBRID THREATS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Hybrid threats have become a defining challenge for economic development, representing a complex combination of cyberattacks, disinformation, economic pressure, energy dependence, and political manipulation. Their strength lies in the synergy between instruments of influence, amplified by digital transformation, which increases exposure to manipulation, data breaches, and disruptions of critical infrastructure. The article aims to determine how hybrid threats shape economic development within a digital environment and to outline strategic responses that strengthen resilience and sustain growth. The study characterizes hybrid threats as multidimensional and cross-sectoral; analyzes mechanisms that link micro-level disruptions to macro-level outcomes (investment, markets, innovation, trust); identifies highly exposed sectors (finance, energy, telecommunications, critical infrastructure); and systematizes countermeasures by integrating technological safeguards, institutional arrangements, and policy instruments. It further contributes a framework mapping threat vectors to economic transmission channels and resilience levers, an operational indicator set combining digital signals with traditional statistics, and a sector-sensitive template for risk and resilience scoring with a forward research agenda. The analysis indicates diversified hybrid-campaign pressure across regions and a pronounced escalation in Ukraine, translating into measurable pressures on investment attractiveness, market stability, and digital-infrastructure reliability. The evidence supports integrated detection, attribution, and mitigation that spans technical, informational, and policy layers. The article underscores the need for whole-of-society responses that align international cooperation, governance mechanisms, and technological innovation. Strengthening cross-border resilience and hardening digital infrastructure operate as pro-growth measures, while the proposed framework and indicator set provide practical guidance for building resilient, adaptive, and secure economic systems in an interconnected world.