Macron: Russian hybrid threats against Europe and France have increased, “we are not afraid

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the hybrid attacks Russia is suspected of carrying out against European countries and France have intensified. He called for a special plan to be drawn up to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive sectors of the defense industry.

During a news conference at the Élysée Palace, Macron said France had faced Russian hybrid actions in recent weeks and warned that they would receive an appropriate response.

“In recent weeks, the Russian hybrid threat against Europeans and against France has intensified,” the French president said.

He stressed that the aim of these actions was to create fear among European countries and undermine the support they provide to Ukraine.

“The outcome will be the opposite. We are not afraid,” Macron declared, emphasizing that Europe’s security is directly linked to what happens in Ukraine.

The French president spoke after a meeting with the leaders of France’s political parties, where the impact of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East on security was at the center of discussions.

Macron also referred to the drone attack that took place last month at Leipzig Airport in Germany, for which Russia has been blamed, as well as warnings issued by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Speaking to Polish lawmakers, Tusk said there was a “real risk” that Russia could carry out drone and missile attacks against Poland or other countries supporting Ukraine.

According to the Polish prime minister, Moscow could seek to portray these attacks as “accidental” incidents in order to fuel divisions within NATO.

Meanwhile, during the previous week, a Russian drone struck a passenger train near the border between Ukraine and Poland. Ukrainian authorities said the passengers had been evacuated from the train just a few minutes before the attack, which hit the locomotive.

Suspicious fires have also been reported at defense industry facilities from Italy to Estonia. Some of the countries where these incidents occurred have accused Russia.

Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Moscow has no plans to attack Europe.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on European countries not to send troops to Ukraine, warning that Russia would consider such a move involvement in the war.

Lavrov has also said that a European attack on Russia would completely change the nature of the conflict.