Sikorski: NATO Must Be Ready to Respond Firmly if Russian Hybrid Attacks Kill People in Europe
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told the Financial Times that Russian hybrid attacks could start causing deaths, and urged NATO allies to prepare a joint response. He proposed closing Russian consulates and restricting diplomats' activity.
Poland's foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, has told the Financial Times that Russian hybrid attacks in Europe could begin to cost lives, and that NATO, the North Atlantic military alliance, must be ready to respond decisively. Hybrid attacks are covert or indirect actions, such as sabotage, meant to undermine societies without open military assault. In the minister's view, the risk of fatalities is growing because Russia is stepping up operations aimed at destabilising European societies and deepening divisions.
No agreed definition
Sikorski acknowledged that allies have yet to agree on what counts as an attack and cross-border aggression. He said that damage to property is one matter, but if people start dying, NATO will have to hold another very serious discussion. According to him, there is no pre-agreed definition, and deciding when Russia has "gone too far" will be a matter of assessing the situation.
Proposed measures
The minister urged European allies to follow Poland's example: close Russian consulates, limit the freedom of movement of Russian diplomats in the countries where they work, and reduce the number of diplomats. He argued that every Russian citizen entering the European Union should be required to hold a biometric passport, so that intelligence agents cannot travel on forged documents. Sikorski also backed calls to cut the number of EU tourist visas issued to Russians. He said that footage of strikes on bridges in Kyiv and of the bodies of dead children being carried out of residential buildings, together with reports of Russian tourists spending lavishly in Europe, provokes sharp disgust in him.
He also encouraged other EU states to openly name Russia as responsible for hybrid attacks when there is enough evidence. Asked why some countries might hesitate, he replied that he did not wish to comment on others' actions, since every country has its own domestic politics.
Threats to company executives
European intelligence services have warned defence industry executives that Russia has intensified efforts to physically eliminate certain individuals. Companies have tightened personal security for their top managers. Heads of small firms, especially those producing drones or drone components, have also drawn the attention of Russian security services.
On 11 October it was reported that Polish police had received information about a possible plot to assassinate Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
