French President Emmanuel Macron announced Friday that G7 countries will convene an emergency meeting in the coming weeks to coordinate on energy security as fuel prices spike due to the ongoing US-Iran war. Macron also warned of mounting hybrid attacks during the crisis.
Russia ordered the closure of German diplomatic offices in a tit-for-tat move after Germany accused Moscow of a hybrid attack involving a drone incident at Leipzig Airport and closed Russian consular facilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Germany of moving toward direct confrontation with Russia.
Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets on August 20, 2026, to destroy an explosives-laden marine drone spotted near its strategic Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. Romanian officials blamed Russia for the incident, which EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called part of an escalating campaign of threats against critical energy infrastructure.
Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets on August 20, 2026, to destroy an explosives-laden marine drone spotted near its strategic Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. Romanian officials blamed Russia for the incident, which EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called part of an escalating campaign of threats against critical energy infrastructure.
Germany's cabinet approved legislation granting intelligence services new powers to hack communications and disrupt foreign adversaries' operations, marking a significant shift from postwar restrictions. The move responds to growing hybrid threats from Russia.
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland are tightening security around critical infrastructure including dams, power plants, and gas facilities, fearing Russia may stage a false-flag attack using Ukrainian drones to destabilize NATO. The concern intensified after a drone with explosives breached defenses at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport, a key NATO hub, on August 4.
Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired one warning shot into the air after five or more migrants attempting to enter from Belarus acted aggressively and threw logs toward troops, according to the Latvian army. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said attempted crossings had recently doubled, without providing exact figures, and described the situation as a hybrid threat.
Russia conducted an 18-month drone surveillance campaign targeting nuclear facilities in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, while simultaneously stepping up jet-powered drone attacks against Ukraine. The escalation comes as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have created fuel shortages across Russia.
