NSC participated at the 4th Maritime Security Conference hosted by the NATO Maritime Security Center of Excellence in Istanbul. Sergiu Mitrescu, Program Director, presented the paper entitled “Maritime Power and Vulnerability: The intersection of Russian NGW and Maritime Critical Infrastructure in the Black Sea” in the panel “Safeguarding the Seas: Law and Strategy for Critical Infrastructure Protection”. It examines the intersection between Russian hybrid warfare and the vulnerabilities of maritime critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, focusing on the Neptun Deep project. The paper analyzes Russia’s tactics to undermine maritime governance and the vulnerabilities of infrastructure under construction. It introduces an analytical framework to understand the complex impact of hybrid threats, highlighting the need for integrated maritime security strategies. It also emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation, surveillance and deterrence measures to protect critical infrastructure in contested areas.