BRUSSELS — NATO possesses robust capability to manage sabotage and drone incidents across Europe, with established response protocols ready, according to the alliance’s secretary general during remarks Thursday following a Danish intelligence service warning of anticipated Russian escalation.
Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that the increasing frequency of hybrid incidents within NATO nations indicates Russian President Vladimir Putin is losing ground in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, and advocated for increased arms supplies to Ukrainian forces as the optimal countermeasure.
“All response options are available, and we will deploy whatever is necessary,” Rutte declared while addressing a ceremony in New York commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
He reassured citizens of all 32 NATO member states they can remain calm, noting, “Putin is in a difficult position… he is not winning the war in Ukraine.”
The Danish Defense Intelligence Service issued a new risk assessment Thursday, cautioning that Russia is poised to intensify its hybrid campaign—a strategy involving non-conventional hostile actions like sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation—to pressure Western adversaries and NATO.
“This may involve destructive cyberattacks that disrupt critical societal functions and sabotage operations carrying significant casualty risks,” the report stated.
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“Russia has grown more willing to take risks,” the agency observed.
Hybrid attacks aim to destabilize nations, test defensive systems, strain resources, or influence public sentiment—often in ways that obscure attribution. An Associated Press interactive map tracking such incidents reveals a surge from 59 in March 2025 to over 200 currently.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently warned Russia intends to conduct hybrid strikes involving drones or rockets against European nations supporting Ukraine, including Poland.
He indicated Russia will likely attribute the attacks as “accidental” to “paralyze or at minimum weaken NATO member states’ resolve to defend a nation under attack.”
The Danish agency identified “a low but rising risk” Russia might initiate a limited military assault on one or more NATO countries adjacent to Russia, potentially occurring in the coming months.
Officials noted the objective would be diverting European resources from Ukraine support and fragmenting NATO solidarity. Simultaneously, they emphasized “no evidence suggests Russia will invade one or more NATO countries outright.”
NATO and EU officials confirm Russian forces remain occupied in Ukraine with no unusual military activity detected near European nations bordering Russia.
U.S. NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker stated earlier this week the current incident level does not signal an impending conflict.
“I don’t believe this volume indicates we’re at the outset of something new,” Whitaker said during a panel in Iowa with Rutte. “I don’t think anyone benefits from moving toward conflict. We must exercise extreme caution regarding overreaction to hybrid activity.”
“We haven’t reached that threshold,” he added.
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Moulson reported from Berlin.