Macron orders infrastructure defense against Russian hybrid attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed on Friday that Russia has carried out hybrid attacks against France in recent weeks, announcing he has ordered the government to prepare a plan to protect the country's critical infrastructure and defense industry sites.

Macron Sounds the Alarm

"In recent weeks, the threat — particularly the Russian hybrid threat — facing Europeans and France has intensified," Macron told reporters after meeting in Paris with political party leaders to discuss the international situation. He said he had asked "the government to prepare a plan to protect our critical infrastructure" and the "most sensitive" defense industry and technology sites against drone and cyberattacks.france24+1

The announcement followed a Defense and National Security Council meeting convened by Macron to address the situation in Ukraine and the proliferation of hostile operations attributed to Moscow. Macron is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the margins of the UN General Assembly, which opens next week in New York.ground

A Wave of Hybrid Operations Across Europe

Macron's disclosure comes amid a broader pattern of incidents attributed to Russia across the continent. On September 1, Germany formally blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4, in which an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane used to shuttle munitions. The airport plays a key logistical role in NATO airlift operations.reuters+2

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said intelligence findings indicated the attackers were "acting on behalf of Russian state agencies". Germany responded by shutting down a Russian consulate and a cultural center in Berlin. At the time, Macron called the incident "a documented case of interference, the same hybrid war Russia is waging against us".uatv+1

NATO Allies Rally Against Russian Threats

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk also warned this week that Russia is planning strikes on countries supporting Ukraine and would then claim the incidents were "accidental". European countries are increasingly speaking openly about what they view as a coordinated campaign of sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation on their soil.npr

Russia's Foreign Ministry has denied the accusations, calling them "contrived" and "far-fetched". The escalating rhetoric has deepened debate among EU member states over how to balance resilience investments and technology sovereignty against the uneven costs of reducing dependence on foreign systems.euractiv+1