EU prepares response plans for a mass-casualty Russian hybrid attack
EU ambassadors have held closed-door talks on how the bloc would respond if a Russian hybrid attack caused multiple deaths, diplomats told Politico.
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European Union capitals have quietly begun preparing for how the bloc should respond if a large-scale Russian hybrid attack caused multiple deaths, five EU diplomats and officials told Politico in a report published on Wednesday. Ambassadors from all 27 EU countries have discussed the scenario in recent weeks in a "restricted format", meeting without phones or aides, the diplomats said.
The talks intensified after a drone packed with explosives was found at Leipzig Airport in Germany in August, the diplomats and officials said. The EU has discussed hybrid-attack scenarios for years and built a "hybrid toolbox" to coordinate responses to cyberattacks, election interference and sabotage, but the latest talks have focused specifically on the risk of an attack causing large-scale casualties. Two diplomats said an EU ambassadors' meeting on 30 September paid particular attention to such scenarios.
Discussions between diplomats and ministers have covered deploying emergency response teams, releasing EU funds to help an affected country and how the bloc's institutional leaders should communicate if such an attack happened, one EU official said. "We have to be prepared for something serious," a senior EU diplomat said. "Unfortunately, Leipzig showed us that a very serious incident, something that causes multiple casualties, is not out of the question."
Another source close to the talks told Politico that casualties were bound to happen sooner than later given the scale of Russian activity, adding: "It's sheer luck there haven't been any yet." A NATO diplomat said the alliance feared the death of an ally's citizen in such an attack, which would create very high pressure on both the EU and NATO to respond.
EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath said European democracies faced a growing number of threats and that the bloc was improving its ability to detect them early and respond quickly. The discussions have also drawn criticism from some capitals, who argue the EU is overstepping its role in security matters that overlap with NATO's core functions, according to Politico.
What we know
- 2+ outlets · in.gr, NV.ua EU ambassadors from all 27 member states have discussed, in closed-door meetings, how the bloc should respond to a Russian hybrid attack causing multiple deaths, five diplomats and officials told Politico.
- 2+ outlets · in.gr, NV.ua The talks intensified after a drone packed with explosives was found at Leipzig Airport in August.
- 2+ outlets · in.gr, NV.ua Discussions have covered deploying emergency response teams, releasing EU funds for an affected country and coordinating communication among EU leaders.
- 2+ outlets · in.gr, NV.ua A NATO diplomat said the alliance fears the death of an ally's citizen in such an attack, which would create heavy pressure to respond.
- 2+ outlets · in.gr, NV.ua Some EU capitals have criticised the discussions, arguing the bloc is overstepping into security roles that overlap with NATO's.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The EU says Russia has intensified a campaign of cyberattacks, sabotage and other covert operations across the bloc since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Besides the Leipzig incident, officials have also cited a suspected arson attack on a Polish ground station handling Starlink communications and a plot to place incendiary devices at transport hubs across the EU and UK. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Europe is facing an armed attack from Russia, describing the Leipzig incident as coming exclusively from Moscow. Germany's foreign intelligence service warned on 5 October that the country risked being drawn into violent conflict as Russia's hybrid war intensifies, and Danish intelligence said on 7 October that Russia had begun sabotage operations against Danish defence companies supplying Ukraine.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What is the EU preparing for?
- EU ambassadors have held closed-door talks on how the bloc would respond if a Russian hybrid attack caused multiple deaths, five diplomats and officials told Politico.
- What triggered the latest discussions?
- A drone packed with explosives found at Leipzig Airport in Germany in August intensified the talks, diplomats said.
- Is there disagreement within the EU?
- Yes. Some capitals argue the EU is overstepping its security role and overlapping with NATO's functions, according to Politico.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.