site.btaEU Steps Up Response to Russian Hybrid Threats

The European Union will continue to act with determination through a strategic approach to Russia’s hybrid threats, providing a proactive, coherent and sustained response, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said on Friday. 

Kallas outlined plans for strengthening resilience, deepening cooperation with international partners, particularly NATO, and making full use of all available means to prevent, deter and respond effectively to Russian hybrid activities.

The European Union remains unwavering in its unambiguous and resolute condemnation of Russia’s ongoing malicious activities. These actions, part of broader, coordinated and long-standing hybrid campaigns, aim to undermine the EU’s security, resilience and democratic foundations, the declaration noted. In recent years, there has been deliberate and persistent malicious behaviour attributed to Russia, including operations by the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU. Russia has waged hybrid campaigns against the EU and its Member States for years, with malicious activities further escalating since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine and highly likely to persist in the foreseeable future, Kallas added.

Kallas noted that last year, the EU attributed cyberattacks targeting democratic institutions in Germany and Czechia to the Russia-controlled actor associated with the GRU. In 2025, France attributed to the GRU cyberattacks targeting its electoral process, media and other public and private critical entities. This clearly illustrates continuity of malicious intent and represents a blatant disregard for international law and the United Nations framework of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, Kallas added.

“Russia’s destabilising hybrid campaigns are however not limited to the cyber domain and also include acts of sabotage, disruption of critical infrastructure, physical attacks, information manipulation and interference, and other covert or coercive actions. Recently, Romania attributed a sophisticated hybrid attack that significantly impacted its electoral process to Russia. Germany also recently attributed the information manipulation activities of the media platform RED to Russia,” Kallas said.

The European Union stands in solidarity with the United Kingdom, which has announced new sanctions in response to GRU-led operations. The EU has imposed sanctions on three GRU units and numerous individuals connected to Russian military intelligence. 

"The EU reaffirms that such malicious behaviour will not undermine our resolute and continued support for Ukraine,” Kallas added.