Russia expected to escalate hybrid warfare against Nato allies in coming months, with 'small but increasing' risk of limited military attack, Denmark warns
Denmark has warned that Russia is expected to escalate hybrid warfare in the coming months, according to new assessments by its defence intelligence service.
At a joint press conference (still ongoing), Danish defence minister Jeppe Bruus, intelligence service chief Thomas Ahrenkiel and defence chief Michael Hyldgaard warned that “the situation is more serious now that at any time since the end of the cold war.”
Ahrenkiel warned that “in recent months, Russia has intensified its hybrid attacks,” referencing, among others, the failed drone attack in Leipzig, a stray missile in Poland, and drones violating borders of Nato member states.
“Russia is acting more and more aggressively and carrying out more and more dangerous hybrid and other attacks against targets in Europe,” he said.
The intelligence service will publish a new assessment of threat today, warning that “Russia will further escalate its hybrid war against us in the coming months,” with “a small but increasing” risk of “limited military attacks” against a Nato country on the eastern flank that neighbours Russia.
“We cannot rule it out,” he said, without specifying the country, but stressing that it’s not Denmark.
He added that “Russia’s increasing willingness to take risks has an impact on the security situation in Denmark.”
Drone crashes in Romania near border with Ukraine
Another of Ukraine’s neighbours, Romania, reported a drone breaching its airspace and crashing near the village of Suceava.
Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to monitor the incident, but the drone crashed four minutes into its flight within Romanian air space and before they could engage, Romanian media reported.
No damage was reported.
Czechia says it scrambled fighter jets for 'combat air patrol' over Poland overnight
Czech Gripen fighter jets were scrambled last night to conduct combat air patrols over Poland, helping to “guard the skies over Poland, ready to respond to any potential threat to the airspace of our ally,” the Czech army confirmed.
“It was not necessary to resort to the use of force. After completing the mission, our Gripens safely returned to the airport in Pardubice,” it added in a statement.
The operation coincided with preventive measures taken by the Polish air force overnight in reaction to large-scale Russian strikes across the border in Ukraine.
Poland investigates suspected sabotage after fire at Starlink station
Meanwhile, neighbouring Poland is investigating a suspected sabotage after a fire broke out at a Starlink satellite communications station in central Poland.
“This act of sabotage was deliberately designed to disable the station … disrupting internet access for various institutions, including the Ukrainian army,” Krzysztof Gawkowski told Polish public broadcaster TVP Info.
“There is much to suggest that we are witnessing an element of the next phase of hybrid warfare; that we are dealing with a deliberate attempt to disrupt the operations of an important station,” he said.
Morning opening: Russia strikes Ukraine hours after Zelenskyy's speech
At least seven people were killed in a Russian strike on a farm in Kharkiv region, with a further 12 people injured.
Two more people were killed in Kyiv, including one in the parking lot of a maternity hospital that was damaged. Eight people were injured.
The attack came just hours after Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged international leaders to keep choking Russia’s revenues and impede its war efforts, telling the UN general assembly that “Russia’s revenues must remain a target.”
I will bring you all the latest on Ukraine here.
Separately, the EU’s António Costa is set to address the UN general assembly later today, on a day which will focus on the Middle East, with Palestinian and Israeli leaders set to deliver their speeches.
And, as always, I will let you know about anything else happening across Europe.
It’s Thursday, 24 September 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
