Russian hybrid attacks against Europe intensifying, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the threat of hybrid attacks by Russia against Europe and France has intensified. In a news conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron stated that he had ordered a plan to protect critical infrastructure and defense industry sites in response to this growing threat.

Macron noted that France had been targeted by Russian hybrid attacks in the past few weeks, which would not go "without a response." A rising number of European leaders have expressed concerns that Russia may be preparing attacks to test their commitment to supporting Ukraine. He emphasized, "In recent weeks, the Russian hybrid threat against Europeans and against France has intensified. The intent is to intimidate us and break our effort to support Ukraine. The result will be the exact opposite. We are not intimidated because we know that our security today and tomorrow is at stake in Ukraine."

Hybrid warfare refers to non-military methods such as cyberattacks, sabotage, or misinformation, aimed at exerting pressure and destabilizing an adversary. These tactics are often carried out using proxies, yet Russia consistently denies involvement despite mounting evidence.