Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that the continent appears to be facing “hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare.” Speaking to national broadcaster TVE, Albares noted that while it would take time to determine the exact origins, “it cannot be mere coincidence that so many incidents with exactly the same modus operandi are happening across Europe.” He added that the most reasonable assumption is an attempt at hybrid aggression, urging Europe to prepare for further challenges.
Security experts characterize the events as having the hallmarks of a coordinated hybrid attack, although they acknowledge the possibility of copycat threats or individuals acting on personal grievances. The threats follow a series of sabotage attempts across Europe, including incidents at German electricity substations, defense-related facilities in the Baltic region, and supermarkets in France. Many officials have linked this campaign to Europe’s support for Ukraine, describing it as a low-cost, deniable strategy by Moscow intended to disrupt normal operations without triggering an armed response.
In Ireland, public broadcaster Raidio Teilifis Eirean (RTE) and UK-based Sky News reported receiving security threats on Friday, leading to building evacuations. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin described the situation as “worrying” and emphasized the need to maintain security for upcoming high-level meetings in Dublin, which holds the rotating EU presidency. Martin stated that the incidents illustrate how “relatively simple it can be to cause disruption and to undermine the normal operation of society through unconventional activities.” He urged organizations to report threats to police to help build a comprehensive picture of the ongoing situation.
Authorities in Denmark and the Czech Republic responded to threats at Copenhagen and Prague airports, respectively. Danish police said their assessment indicated no immediate danger to passengers, while Czech police confirmed threats to nine flights in and out of Prague but reported no cancellations or diversions. In Italy, a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice and landed safely. French authorities confirmed four new threats to aircraft over French territory, all of which landed safely. A Ryanair flight from Rome to Lisbon also underwent a security operation upon landing in Portugal.
The group claiming responsibility for the latest threats identified itself as the “Male State,” a label also used in emails sent to airlines earlier in the week. Vladislav Pozdnyakov, a Russian blogger who founded an anti-feminist movement under that name in 2016, stated the group no longer exists and denied involvement. Reuters could not independently confirm the sender of the emails. As of Friday, no country has officially attributed blame for the threats, and investigations remain ongoing to determine the source and motive behind the coordinated disruptions.
