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Hybrid threats / Russia: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU condemning Russia's persistent hybrid campaigns against the EU, its Member States and partners

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU
Statements and remarks
18 July 2025 13:52

The European Union remains unwavering and unequivocal in its strong condemnation of the persistent malicious activities posed by Russia. These form part of broader, coordinated, and long-standing hybrid campaigns aimed at threatening and undermining the security, resilience and democratic foundations of the EU, its Member States and its partners.

Over the past years, we have observed a deliberate and systematic pattern of malicious behaviour attributed to Russia, including its military intelligence service, the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). Russia has waged hybrid campaigns against the EU and its Member States for years, with malicious activities further escalating since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine and highly likely to persist in the foreseeable future. Last year, the EU attributed cyberattacks targeting democratic institutions in Germany and Czechia to the Russia-controlled actor APT28. In 2025, France has attributed to the GRU cyberattacks targeting electoral process, media and other public and private critical entities. This clearly illustrates continuity of malicious intent and represents a blatant disregard for international law and the United Nations framework of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

Russia's destabilising hybrid campaigns are however not limited to the cyber domain, and also include acts of sabotage, disruption of critical infrastructure, physical attacks, information manipulation and interference, and other covert or coercive actions. Recently, Romania attributed a sophisticated hybrid attack that significantly impacted its electoral process to Russia. Germany also recently attributed the information manipulation activities of the media platform "RED" to Russia. This follows earlier EU sanctions targeting the same entity. These actions from Russia demonstrate deliberate and unacceptable behaviour.

Today, the EU stands in full solidarity with the United Kingdom as it announced new restrictive measures in response to operations led by the GRU and continues to denounce the tangible threat Russia poses to the security of the UK and its partners, including the EU. The EU has already adopted restrictive measures against three GRU units (29155, 26165 and 74455) and multiple individuals linked to the GRU. The EU reaffirms that such malicious behaviour will not undermine our resolute and continued support for Ukraine. The EU remains determined to expose and counter Russia's hybrid activities targeting the EU and its Member States, and, alongside international partners, to support its immediate neighbourhood, particularly Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

In line with this firm and consistent stance, the EU will continue to act with determination through a strategic approach towards Russia's hybrid threats. This ensures a proactive, coherent and sustained response, including through asymmetric and proportionate measures in line with international law. We will continue to strengthen our resilience, deepen cooperation with international partners, in particular with NATO in full respect of the agreed principles and make full use of all available means to prevent, deter, and respond effectively to Russia's hybrid activities.