According to the WSJ, Putin is reported to have ordered an escalation of the hybrid war against NATO countries. Following the foiled attack at Leipzig Airport, Germany has raised its alert level regarding Russian sabotage. And investigations point to a chain of command that is increasingly closely linked to Moscow 

The independent Russian publication The Insider has published an investigation carried out in collaboration with Der Spiegel, which reconstructs the Russian intelligence unit responsible for the attack on the Ukrainian aircraft in Germany: the GRU’s ‘Special Tasks Unit’ (SSD), established by 2023 to carry out sabotage operations in Europe

The Commission President receives Rutte at the Berlaymont and describes the incident in Leipzig as an attack using military equipment carried out by a Russian operation on European soil: this marks a shift in terminology from the usual language regarding ‘hybrid incidents’

The Russian link is gaining ground in relation to the drone found at the German airport during the night of 4–5 August. It is possible that a network that has been operating in Europe for some time is behind the incident

The explosive drone found in Leipzig is the latest episode in a campaign that European intelligence agencies attribute to Russia’s hybrid warfare: the front line is drawing closer to Western strategic infrastructure