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France is strengthening its response to what it describes as an escalating campaign of Russian hybrid threats, including cyber espionage, sabotage and drone activity targeting sensitive military sites.
According to Le Monde, French intelligence services have accused a unit of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) of conducting a large-scale cyber espionage campaign against French interests. Authorities have also reported an increase in acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and unauthorized drone flights over military facilities, UATV English reports.
In response, France has backed new sanctions against entities linked to the alleged operations and summoned a representative of the Russian Embassy in Paris.
“The purpose of this meeting was to express, in the strongest possible terms, France’s condemnation of the malicious cyber activities carried out by Russia on French territory, particularly those conducted by the FSB’s 16th Center,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that the cyber operations have also targeted several of France’s European partners and described such actions as “unacceptable and unworthy of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”
French officials said the Russian diplomat was informed that France, together with its allies and in accordance with international law, remains determined to use all available means to prevent, deter and respond to destabilizing activities directed against the country.
The latest measures come as France continues to expand cooperation with European allies to counter hybrid threats and strengthen collective security against Russian cyber and intelligence operations.
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