NATO's top Europe commander warns of rising Russian-linked sabotage, urges calm
NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grinkevich, told Reuters the Alliance is increasing intelligence sharing in response to a wave of sabotage and other incidents likely linked to Russia. He urged calm, called NATO "the most powerful alliance in history" and assessed the risk of a limited Russian attack on NATO territory as "unlikely but cannot be ruled out." Grinkevich also rejected the assumption that Vladimir Putin could exploit depleted US long-range precision missile stockpiles to strike the Alliance.
Key points
- NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grinkevich, said NATO is increasing intelligence sharing in response to sabotage and other incidents likely linked to Russia.
- Grinkevich gave the remarks in an interview with Reuters.
- He assessed the risk of a limited Russian attack on NATO territory as "unlikely but cannot be ruled out."
- Recent incidents cited as concerning include an attempted drone attack on Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport and a Russian ship firing signal flares at a Danish military helicopter.
- Grinkevich rejected the idea that Putin could strike NATO by exploiting US long-range precision missile stockpiles depleted in a war with Iran, saying: "Absolutely not. He had better not try to do this while I am in this position."
- Danish military intelligence warned Russia will likely intensify hybrid warfare against the West in the coming months and described a "low but growing" risk of a limited attack on a bordering NATO country.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said intelligence indicates Russian "plans for hybrid strikes" against countries supporting Ukraine.
Why it matters
NATO's most senior military commander has publicly framed a string of recent incidents — a drone attempt on a German airport, a Russian ship firing signal flares at a Danish helicopter, and intelligence warnings from Copenhagen and Warsaw — as part of a Russian-linked hybrid campaign against Alliance members. His explicit warning to Vladimir Putin not to test the Alliance signals a more confrontational public posture, while his assurance that a limited attack remains unlikely, though not impossible, is the kind of calibrated message allies use to justify stepped-up intelligence sharing without escalating rhetoric. The remarks also touch on intra-Alliance burden-sharing, with European members taking on more responsibility as the United States provides "critically important but more limited capabilities."
What happened
In an interview with Reuters, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grinkevich, said the Alliance is increasing intelligence sharing in response to a wave of sabotage and other incidents likely linked to Russia. He characterized the rise in hybrid attacks on the continent as "concerning" and called on Allies to remain calm and confident, describing NATO as "the most powerful alliance in history" with the necessary tools to manage the risks. Grinkevich assessed the risk of a limited Russian attack on NATO territory as "unlikely but cannot be ruled out." He singled out an attempted drone attack on Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport and a Russian ship firing signal flares at a Danish military helicopter as recent examples. He rejected the idea that Putin could strike NATO by exploiting US long-range precision missile stockpiles depleted during a war with Iran, saying: "Absolutely not. He had better not try to do this while I am in this position." Grinkevich added that NATO has the capability to defend every inch of Allied territory and that he has the necessary authority to take measures to deter aggression. Danish military intelligence separately warned that Russia will likely intensify its hybrid war against the West in the coming months and described a "low but growing" risk of a limited attack on a bordering NATO country, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said intelligence indicates Russian plans for hybrid strikes against countries supporting Ukraine.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All six supplied sources are Ukrainian-language outlets, and they uniformly lead with NATO increasing intelligence sharing in response to Russian-linked sabotage, foregrounding the threat Russia poses to Europe. The coverage consistently ties the NATO commander's warnings to the broader context of Russian attacks on Ukraine, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's reminder that no circumstances should distract European leaders from supporting Ukraine featured prominently. Ukrainian reporting frames European security and continued support for Ukraine as inseparable: hybrid threats to Europe are presented as an extension of the same campaign Russia is waging inside Ukraine.
Where reporting differs
Sources point to three areas of disagreement. First, on whether the United States has been using a significant portion of its long-range precision missile stockpiles in a war with Iran and what that means for NATO's security: Grinkevich dismissed the idea that Putin could exploit this to strike the Alliance, while reporting referenced in the interview's broader context treats US missile use as a relevant factor in the calculation. Second, on a reported CIA warning about possible Russian drone attacks on Spain, France or Italy: Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto denied the El Mundo reporting, and French President Emmanuel Macron said the CIA had not provided such data, while other coverage continued to cite the warning. Third, on how imminent a Russian military move against NATO really is: Danish intelligence described a "low but growing" risk of a limited attack on a bordering NATO country, Polish intelligence pointed to hybrid strike plans against supporters of Ukraine, and Czech intelligence forecast a possible limited operation or false-flag provocation "in months, not years," while Lithuania's Defense Ministry said there are currently no objective signs of preparation for a full-scale attack on the Baltic states.
Background
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged European leaders not to let Russian attacks, including strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, distract from continued support for Ukraine. Reporting from various European intelligence services, the Wall Street Journal and CNN has described possible Russian hybrid operations, tests of NATO's Article 5 readiness, and even the possibility of a limited incursion into a Baltic state. Several governments — including Italy, France, Lithuania and others — have publicly pushed back against specific reported threats or assessments, illustrating divergence among allies on the scale and immediacy of the risk. Russia has traditionally denied involvement in sabotage or preparations for conflict against Western countries.