Russia expected to escalate hybrid warfare against Europe, officials warn
Following a wave of drone incidents in Moldova, Romania and Poland, European politicians and military officials warn that Russia is likely to intensify hybrid war tactics against the West in coming months.
Until recently, the war in Ukraine felt distant to many Europeans, but the situation has shifted sharply since summer. Drone overflights have become near-daily occurrences in parts of Central and Southeastern Europe, with crashes and explosions increasingly reported, particularly in countries bordering Ukraine.
This week, Moldova recorded four drones entering its airspace, two of which exploded on Moldovan territory, with wreckage of another found separately. The country temporarily closed its northern airspace. In Romania, two drones violated airspace, with one crashing near the town of Solca, prompting closure of a nearby border crossing with Ukraine. NATO scrambled aircraft near the Danube Delta in response.
In Poland, NATO fighter jets were scrambled twice over Russian attacks near the Ukrainian border. A fire broke out at a Starlink ground station near Warsaw that routes internet traffic to Ukraine, leading to the evacuation of two border crossings. The same day, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter breached Polish airspace for 42 seconds.
Political reactions
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Russia is refining its pressure tactics and that Europe must prepare, adding there were suspicions the Starlink station fire was deliberate. Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Russia's war poses a danger to all of Europe. Romanian President Nicusor Dan told the UN General Assembly that Romania, as the EU member with the longest border with Ukraine, has repeatedly felt the effects of airspace violations.
Meanwhile, reports emerged of a possible CIA assessment warning that Russia could be preparing drone attacks on Italy, France and Spain launched from international waters in the Mediterranean. French President Emmanuel Macron said the CIA had not shared such information with France, but called the scenario plausible. Danish Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus said the current situation is the most serious since the end of the Cold War.
