NATO countries said this Thursday that they were “deeply concerned by the malicious activities” of Russia “recently carried out on the territory of the Alliance”, while assuring that these will not “dissuade them from continuing to support Ukraine.”
In a press release, the Allies denounce “hostile state activities affecting Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom”. “The incidents in question are part of the intensification of activities that Russia is carrying out throughout the Euro-Atlantic area, and in particular on the territory of the Alliance, using intermediaries”. “These include acts of sabotage, acts of violence, cyber activities, electronic disruptions, disinformation campaigns and other hybrid activities”they detail, adding that these “hybrid activities (…) constitute a threat” for their safety.
“We condemn Russia’s attitude”
“We will act individually and collectively in response to these actions and we will continue to consult closely”they continue. “We will ensure that the Alliance and Allies are prepared to provide deterrence and defense against hybrid activities or attacks”. “We condemn Russia’s attitude and call on it to respect its international obligations, as Allies do. Russia’s actions will not dissuade us from continuing to support Ukraine.”they conclude.
At the end of March, Prague revealed the discovery by Czech intelligence services of a network orchestrated by Moscow which spread pro-Russian propaganda on Ukraine via the Voice of Europe website, and is suspected of having corrupted MEPs. In the United Kingdom, authorities indicated in late April that a 20-year-old British man had been charged in London under the national security law for allegedly organizing attacks against “businesses related to Ukraine”. The French Minister for Europe Jean-Noël Barrot recently indicated that France and other European countries were “shelled by Russian propaganda” in the run-up to the European elections, which will take place from June 6 to 9 in the EU.
