EU Should Strengthen Intelligence Sharing To Counter Russian Hybrid Attacks - Kallas

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas made the statement during a European Parliament debate in Strasbourg on Russia's hybrid warfare, Ukrinform's correspondent reports.

Kallas said that Russia adapted its methods depending on the country, manipulating the information space and interfering in elections in some countries while carrying out physical attacks in others. She said these attacks targeted military infrastructure, public transport, and critical facilities. She stressed that joint intelligence efforts needed to cover the full range of Russia's hybrid warfare tools and said that intelligence sharing was therefore vital. Kallas urged EU member states to do more and make the best possible use of the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN).

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She stressed that Moscow would no longer be able to hide behind ambiguity. According to Kallas, Russia had long used ambiguity as a weapon, but clearly identifying the source of attacks would make it harder for Russia to conceal its involvement and would help European citizens recognize and understand the patterns behind such attacks. She said that Germany's investigation, attribution, and transparent public communication following the attack in Leipzig had therefore been particularly important. She also noted that in July, EU countries had jointly exposed what they described as FSB cyber aggression in Europe, adding that such efforts needed to be carried out systematically.

Kallas also urged Europeans not to give in to what she described as attempts by the Kremlin to intimidate them. She said that Putin's hybrid attacks were intended to intimidate European societies, paralyze them, and make them hesitate, which she argued was precisely what he wanted. She stressed that fear should not dictate Europe's choices and called for concrete action and a confident response to such attacks.

The statement came amid a series of hybrid incidents in Europe over the previous 48 hours, as Russia engaged in new provocations. A Russian frigate fired signal flares toward a Danish helicopter, NATO fighter jets shot down a Russian drone in Lithuanian airspace, another hostile UAV was recovered from a body of water in Poland, and a passenger train came under attack near the Ukrainian-Polish border. In addition, an investigation into suspected sabotage attempts and attacks on logistics hubs and critical infrastructure is ongoing in Germany.

As Ukrinform previously reported, according to media reports, the European Union is discussing strengthening its intelligence centre and data sharing between member states.

Photo: AA

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