Macron orders protection of French infrastructure from intensifying Russian hybrid attacks

French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered a national plan to protect France's critical infrastructure, defense, and technology sites against an intensifying campaign of Russian hybrid attacks. The directive follows high-level intelligence briefings and a series of deniable shadow operations across Europe, including cyberattacks, GPS jamming, and a drone strike on a passenger train near the Polish border. Despite Moscow's denials and warnings of a short war if Europe directly attacks Russia, Macron and other European leaders vow that intimidation tactics will not derail their support for Ukraine.

Macron infrastructure protection order

• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron stated on September 18, 2026 that France's interior minister met with regional prefects to step up vigilance in response to Russian hybrid threats.
• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron briefed political leaders on September 18, 2026 in a meeting attended by DGSE head Nicolas Lerner and DGSI head Celine Berthon regarding confidential intelligence assessments of security challenges.
• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the French government on September 18, 2026 to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive defense and technology sites from intensifying Russian hybrid attacks.
• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron announced on September 18, 2026 that France will convene a G7 meeting in the coming weeks to discuss energy security, gas stocks, and strategic reserves.

Russian hybrid warfare escalation

• ▪European officials and security agencies reported an escalation in Russian hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, GPS jamming, and drone incursions across Europe since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
• ▪A Russian drone strike targeted a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border at Yahodyn on September 13, 2026, shortly after former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had traveled on the same line.
• ▪German police detected an armed drone at Leipzig airport in August 2026, an incident that German authorities and European Union officials attributed to Russian state-sponsored operations.
• ▪Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that European countries sending troops to Ukraine would be viewed by Moscow as a declaration of war, leading to a very short conflict.

European security responses

• ▪Finland's Interior Minister Mari Rantanen unveiled a 120-mile border fence near the Nuijamaa crossing to counter Russia's tactic of directing migrants toward the Finnish border.
• ▪European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on September 16, 2026 for an EU-wide mechanism similar to NATO to coordinate responses to hybrid attacks that fall below the threshold of armed aggression.
• ▪Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on September 17, 2026 of a real risk of Russian drone and missile strikes on NATO countries supporting Ukraine, which Moscow would claim were accidental.

France-Ukraine support commitment

• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron vowed on September 18, 2026 that Russian hybrid attacks on French soil would not go unanswered, though he did not detail what specific actions France would take.
• ▪French President Emmanuel Macron declared on September 18, 2026 that France will continue its support for Ukraine despite Russian hybrid threats, stating that the Russian hybrid attacks are intended to intimidate European allies

Debatable claims

• ▪The European Union should establish a NATO-style mechanism to counter hybrid attacks
• ▪France should launch retaliatory counter-measures against Russian hybrid attacks