Russia's Behavior on NATO Territory Sparks Warning

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks to the media on April 26, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. On Thursday, NATO accused Russia of hybrid operations on Allied territory.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday accused Russia of hostile actions on allied territory and warned it would respond.

In a statement, the bloc said Russia had committed “recent malign activities” in member countries, including sabotage and “acts of violence.”

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday via email for comment.

NATO has been a key supporter of Kyiv during the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched on Ukraine in February 2022. Along with public messages from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that affirm the alliance stands with Kyiv, numerous NATO members have been the biggest providers of aid to Ukraine.

“NATO Allies are deeply concerned about recent malign activities on Allied territory, including those resulting in the investigation and charging of multiple individuals in connection with hostile state activity affecting Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom,” the alliance’s Thursday statement said.

Though NATO did not offer specific details about the alleged activities, it said, “These incidents are part of an intensifying campaign of activities which Russia continues to carry out across the Euro-Atlantic area, including on Alliance territory and through proxies.

“This includes sabotage, acts of violence, cyber and electronic interference, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid operations. NATO Allies express their deep concern over Russia’s hybrid actions, which constitute a threat to Allied security.”

The message said the alliance “will act individually and collectively to address these actions, and will continue to coordinate closely.”

NATO added: “We will continue to boost our resilience and to apply and enhance the tools at our disposal to counter and contest Russian hybrid actions and will ensure that the Alliance and Allies are prepared to deter and defend against hybrid actions or attacks.”

In conclusion, the statement condemned Russia and called on the country “to uphold its international obligations, as Allies do theirs,” before adding that “Russia’s actions will not deter Allies from continuing to support Ukraine.”

Stoltenberg previously spoke about alleged incidents of Russian espionage in NATO countries during an April 26 meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

“Last week, Germany arrested individuals accused of espionage and sabotage. And today, in the United Kingdom, five individuals have been charged in connection with hostile state activity to benefit Russia,” Stoltenberg said.

He continued, “Such acts are dangerous and unacceptable. They will not deter us from providing support to Ukraine, and we are coordinating closely in our response to any hostile act against NATO Allies.”

Stoltenberg also commented on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday regarding the alliance’s new statement regarding Russia.

“#NATO is deeply concerned by an intensifying campaign of Russian hybrid activities, including on Alliance territory,” he wrote. “These actions will not deter us from supporting #Ukraine.”

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