Russia has launched a campaign to undermine the West using clandestine economic and political tactics, according to a report released Thursday by an American-based research group.

The report, called “The Kremlin Playbook: Understanding Russian Influence in Eastern and Central Europe,” states that the Russian government has swayed friendly politicians to its side and has sought to seize control of energy markets, as well as to subvert anti-corruption laws to attract the governments of Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Serbia and Slovakia, Reuters said.

“In certain countries, Russian influence has become so pervasive and endemic that it has challenged national stability as well as a country’s Western orientation and Euro-Atlantic stability,” said the report of a 16-month study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and the Sofia, Bulgaria-based Center for the Study of Democracy.

The report comes on the heels of fast-eroding relations between the US and Russia. The US recently pulled out of talks with Russian leaders over that country’s handling of the war against ISIS in Syria. And President Obama has accused Russia of hacking into the computers of the Democratic National Committee to manipulate the 2016 election in favor of Donald Trump.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently denied those claims.

“The Kremlin Playbook” further outlines a number of ways Russia planned to expand its presence in Europe, including what was referred to as “megadeal” projects.

For example, the Russians secured a 12.2 billion-euro contract to build two new nuclear reactors in Hungary, the report said.

Furthermore, Bulgaria has become vulnerable to Russian takeover due to the former Soviet Union’s striking economic strength in that region, according to the report.

Heather Conley, a former US official who penned the report, said her findings were cause for concern.

“The first step is to acknowledge that which is happening,” Conley said. “What is at stake here is how we view ourselves and the functioning of our democracy.”