French intelligence chief warns of more ‘violent, hostile action’ after Leipzig drone attack
The head of the DGSI says Russia is intensifying its hybrid war on the continent.
Paris — France should anticipate further violent incidents occurring within its borders, as hybrid warfare and external meddling surge throughout Europe, according to French intelligence services. Céline Berthon, head of the DGSI, highlighted a recent discovery of an explosive device near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Germany's Leipzig Airport, which serves as a vital logistics center for delivering military equipment to Ukraine.
Berthon cautioned that the incident at Leipzig signifies potential for direct and more aggressive hostile actions on French soil, stating this at La Ref, a prominent business leaders' gathering in Paris. Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Tuesday that the government is actively working to determine the identity of those responsible for the unsuccessful attack, which remains unattributed to any specific entity thus far.
While Berthon did not single out Russia in her remarks about Leipzig, she acknowledged earlier in her speech that "Russia's assertive stance has become a major area of concern." She explained that since 2022, there has been a significant and alarming rise in acts of interference on French national territory, encompassing high-profile symbolic assaults like the spray-painting of Star of David symbols on buildings in Paris, alongside disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russian-affiliated networks.
Berthon emphasized during her address at the Medef business lobby conference that these factors collectively mark the beginning of a war that, while not a conventional physical or military conflict, is already manifesting through attacks against French soil.
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