French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that what he described as the Russian hybrid threat against Europe and France has intensified in recent weeks. Speaking to journalists at the Elysee Palace after meeting political party leaders, Macron said he had ordered the government to prepare measures to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive defence and technology sites.
Macron said France had been targeted by Russian hybrid attacks in recent weeks and that they would not be left “without a response”. He described the alleged objective as intimidating European countries and weakening their support for Ukraine, adding that the effect would be the opposite because European security was tied to the war there.
Hybrid attacks can include cyberattacks, sabotage and misinformation intended to pressure or destabilise an adversary. The source says such operations are often conducted through proxies, while Russia denies involvement despite what it describes as mounting evidence cited by European officials.
Macron referred to a drone attack last month at Leipzig airport in Germany, which was blamed on Russia, and to comments by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Tusk told Polish MPs that Russian plans could involve drone and missile strikes on countries supporting Ukraine, warning of a real risk to Nato territory and suggesting Moscow might describe any attacks as accidental to divide the alliance.
The source also reports that a Russian drone struck the engine of a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border. Passengers had been evacuated shortly before the strike at Yahodyn, according to Ukraine. Suspicious fires at defence facilities in countries including Italy and Estonia have also been attributed to Russia by some of the affected states, although the supplied material does not provide details of investigations.
Russia has repeatedly said it does not plan to attack Europe. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, warned that European troops sent to Ukraine would be viewed as a declaration of war, while Russia separately said British military facilities in Ukraine used to strike Russian territory would be legitimate targets. Macron also said France would seek a G7 meeting on energy security and discuss gas stocks and possible use of strategic reserves.