Danish intelligence warns Russia may intensify hybrid attacks against NATO
Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service said Russia may increase sabotage, cyberattacks and other hybrid operations against Western and NATO countries. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance has response plans, while officials stressed the incidents do not show an imminent direct conflict.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Event date: The Danish Defence Intelligence Service released the assessment on a Thursday in September; the excerpt does not state the year directly. [2][3]
What happened
Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service assessed that Russia was expected to intensify its hybrid war against the West and NATO in coming months, with attacks potentially becoming more frequent and having greater consequences. [2]
References for this detail (1)
- Danish intelligence service warns Russia may intensify hybrid attacks against West and NATOcphpost.dk · Article published: Sep 24, 2026, 9:56 AM UTC
FE said the potential activity included destructive cyberattacks that could seriously affect critical societal functions and sabotage attacks carrying a high risk of casualties. It also described a low but increasing risk of a limited military attack on NATO countries bordering Russia. [2]
References for this detail (1)
- Danish intelligence service warns Russia may intensify hybrid attacks against West and NATOcphpost.dk · Article published: Sep 24, 2026, 9:56 AM UTC
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance was capable of handling sabotage and drone incidents and had action plans and response options available. A U.S. ambassador to NATO said the number of incidents did not indicate that conflict was imminent. [3]
References for this detail (1)
- NATO Chief Calls for Calm as Intel Agency Warns Russia May Ramp Up Hybrid Attacksmilitary.com · Article published: Sep 24, 2026, 7:04 PM UTC
An Associated Press incident map cited in the reporting counted more than 200 hybrid incidents, compared with 59 in March 2025. That count describes tracked incidents; it does not by itself establish that all were carried out by Russia. [3]
References for this detail (1)
- NATO Chief Calls for Calm as Intel Agency Warns Russia May Ramp Up Hybrid Attacksmilitary.com · Article published: Sep 24, 2026, 7:04 PM UTC
European officials described alleged arson, explosions, drone incursions and airspace violations, while Lithuania’s foreign minister warned that pressure could expand toward critical infrastructure. Poland’s military said a Russian Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace from Kaliningrad. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Europe Warns Russia Is Escalating Hybrid Attacks Across NATOeconotimes.com · Article published: Sep 23, 2026, 3:46 PM UTC
Context from the sources
Kaja Kallas said the activity was intended to frighten European governments into reducing support for Ukraine and called for tougher sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet and military-industrial sector. [1]
The Danish assessment said Russia would need at least six months to prepare for an actual invasion of a NATO country, while its chief said the assessment was not about military attacks on Denmark. [2]
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
3 source links · 3 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [1] Europe Warns Russia Is Escalating Hybrid Attacks Across NATOeconotimes.comReferenced for: detail 5
- [2] Danish intelligence service warns Russia may intensify hybrid attacks against West and NATOcphpost.dkReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2
- [3] NATO Chief Calls for Calm as Intel Agency Warns Russia May Ramp Up Hybrid Attacksmilitary.comReferenced for: detail 3, detail 4
Questions answered by the reporting
What does “hybrid attack” mean here?
The term covers non-conventional hostile acts such as sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation and other methods, according to the reporting. [3]
Does the assessment predict an imminent invasion of a NATO country?
No. FE described the risk of a limited military attack as low but increasing and said an actual invasion was unlikely, though it could not be ruled out. [2]
What this could mean for you
Residents could see temporary disruption or heightened security around infrastructure, airspace or public facilities.
Sabotage, drone incursions or other hybrid operations can require protective measures and emergency responses.
Reported basis: [1][2] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: An incident affects a facility, airspace corridor or service used by the public.
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Critical services could experience operational disruption if destructive cyberattacks reach inadequately protected systems.
FE specifically warned that cyberattacks could have serious consequences for critical societal functions.
Reported basis: [2] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Attackers gain access to systems supporting essential infrastructure.
Possible time frame: months, if those conditions hold.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
A destructive cyberattack or sabotage incident causes casualties or disrupts critical infrastructure.
NATO members respond inconsistently, encouraging further testing of airspace or infrastructure defenses.
Pressure eases if…
NATO’s stated response plans deter or contain new sabotage and drone incidents.
European governments improve protection of critical infrastructure and maintain coordinated responses.
Still unclear
The assessment does not identify which countries, facilities or services would be targeted or provide a probability for any individual incident.
The cited incident count does not establish attribution for every event or show that an imminent direct NATO-Russia conflict is underway.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (3)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
European officials have warned that Russia is intensifying hybrid attacks across Europe, including cyberattacks, sabotage and airspace violations, in an effort to weaken Western support…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Russia is expected to intensify its hybrid war against the West and NATO in the coming months, with attacks becoming more frequent and potentially having…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he believes the rising number of hybrid incidents in NATO countries shows that Russia is losing the war in Ukraine. BRUSSELS…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.