Russia's actions against Europe are no longer hybrid, but military, foreign minister says
Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (Getty Images)
Russian actions in Europe are increasingly taking on the characteristics of military operations, as they cause casualties and target critical infrastructure. Ukraine is calling for an appropriate response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
According to Sybiha, Russia is behind operations carried out under false flags. The minister stressed that such actions can no longer be described as merely hybrid warfare, although he acknowledged that European countries are sometimes reluctant to speak openly about the nature of the threats they face.
In the interview, Sybiha was asked how he would characterize Russia's actions on European territory if they were not considered hybrid warfare.
"I believe these are essentially military operations, given their consequences," Ukraine's foreign minister replied.
He explained that such operations involve the use of weapons, cause casualties, and target, among other things, military facilities and strategically important infrastructure.
In Sybiha's view, the nature of these actions requires European countries to respond accordingly on all fronts. This means not only making political assessments of the events but also taking appropriate action to address security threats.
European countries have increasingly reported Russian acts of sabotage, arson attacks, cyberattacks, and attempts to disrupt critical infrastructure. NATO has called on them to prepare for a new wave of such incidents.
Poland has also reported increased activity by Russian intelligence services targeting infrastructure used to support Ukraine. Potential targets have included railways, bridges, and border crossings.
Read more about the scale of Russian sabotage operations across Europe, how operatives are recruited, and how European countries are responding in the report by RBC-Ukraine.
