Sikorski: NATO must prepare for casualties from Russian hybrid attacks
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski says the scale of Russian hybrid actions against European states is growing and that NATO would need a "very serious conversation" if people start dying.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has warned that NATO must be ready for the possibility of casualties from Russian hybrid attacks on European countries, according to Ukrainska Pravda, which reported his remarks on 12 October.
Sikorski drew attention to the growing scale of Russian hybrid activity against European states. The term usually refers to a mix of non-military and deniable tactics, such as sabotage, arson, cyberattacks and disinformation, used below the threshold of open war.
"When do we recognise that the Russians have gone too far? It is a question of judgement. There is no predefined definition," Sikorski said. "If people start dying, we will have to have another very serious conversation in NATO."
What the remarks mean
Sikorski did not set out a specific threshold for a collective NATO response, and he said none exists. His words point to a gap in allied policy: there is no agreed definition of when a hybrid campaign becomes grave enough to trigger a stronger reaction from the alliance. The Ukrainska Pravda post does not say whether he named particular incidents or proposed concrete measures.
The source does not say where or when Sikorski spoke, and RealUA has not been able to establish the venue. The remarks are reported second-hand through the Ukrainian outlet's Telegram channel and have not been independently checked against the original.
Related warnings
The comments come amid other recent warnings about Russian hybrid activity. RealUA reported on 12 October that NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Europe should strengthen support for Ukraine in response to Russian hybrid attacks. The report said he was in Poland to present plans for defending NATO territory.
RealUA also reported on 11 October, citing the Financial Times, that Russia is stepping up plots to kill heads of European defence companies, including smaller drone makers. Germany's domestic intelligence service said it had intensified its work with industry. Those claims are the Financial Times' reporting and were not independently verified by RealUA.
Poland is a NATO member that borders Ukraine, and its foreign minister is among the alliance's most outspoken voices on Russia.
