Ukraine: NATO says Russian hybrid attacks do not divide allies

“ A russia's activity at the moment is primarily aimed at breaking our will to continue supporting Ukraine," said the US general before MEPs in Brussels.

According to the supreme Allied commander in Europe (SACEUR), Moscow seeks to create a climate of insecurity that leads the people of Western countries to pressure their governments to reduce support for Kiev.

“If they succeed in making the security situation alarming enough, the people will want their countries to move away from Ukraine to ensure their own protection,” Grynkewich explained.

But “this is not working,” the general added, pointing out as an example Denmark’s reaction to an incident in mid-September.

Copenhagen accused Moscow of firing flares at a Danish helicopter and subsequently accelerated the approval of new financial aid to Ukraine.

“Denmark’s response is, in my opinion, an example that I would recommend to everyone,” said Grynkewich.

“If there is a hybrid attack on your country, strengthening the will to support Ukraine will show the Russians that their strategy does not work and may lead them to give it up,” the general added.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had also requested last week from European countries “more support for Ukraine” if they intended to “actually send a signal to the Russians for each hybrid incident or attack”.

European countries have expressed growing concern about actions such as criminal fires and acts of sabotage in their territories attributed to Russia.

The European Union's (EU) Defence Ministers meeting today in Brussels discussed ways to strengthen the response to this type of action, including an emergency protocol to improve the coordination and reaction capacity of the bloc.

On Thursday, Danish military intelligence services warned that Russia could carry out further hybrid attacks on Western targets.

However, the Danish services found it unlikely, although possible, a Russian invasion of a NATO country.

Last week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also warned of Russian hybrid threats against Ukraine's allied countries, including drone and missile attacks.