Key facts
- France faces increased risk of violent attacks and foreign interference, according to DGSI Director-General Céline Berthon.
- The warning follows the discovery of an explosive drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport, a key logistics hub.
- Berthon stated that Russia's posture has hardened, leading to a significant rise in interference acts and disinformation campaigns.
- The Leipzig incident is seen as a precursor to potentially more direct and violent hostile actions on national soil.
France should anticipate a rise in violent attacks and foreign interference as Russia escalates its hybrid warfare tactics across Europe, warned Céline Berthon, the head of France's DGSI security services. Berthon cited the recent discovery of an explosive drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport in Germany as a significant warning sign.
Speaking at a business leaders' gathering in Paris, Berthon stated that the Leipzig incident suggests the possibility of "direct, more violent hostile actions on our national soil." While she did not directly attribute the Leipzig attack to Russia, she earlier highlighted "the hardening of Russia's posture" as a major concern. Berthon noted a "dramatic and significant increase in acts of interference on our national territory" since 2022, including symbolic assaults like the spraying of Stars of David on buildings and disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russia-affiliated networks.