Russian hybrid attacks against Europe intensifying, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the threat of hybrid attacks by Russia against Europe and France has intensified.

In a news conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron said he had ordered a plan to protect critical infrastructure and defence industry sites in the face of this threat.

He said France had been targeted by Russian hybrid attacks in the past few weeks which would not be left "without a response".

A growing number of European leaders have warned that Russia may be preparing attacks to test their commitment to supporting Ukraine.

Hybrid warfare or hybrid attacks are loose terms which tend to describe non-military methods, for example cyberattacks, sabotage or misinformation, designed to exert pressure and destabilise an adversary.

These are quite often employed using proxies, but Russia always denies involvement in such attacks despite growing evidence to the contrary.

The French president was speaking to journalists after meeting party leaders to discuss the security impact of the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Macron mentioned last month's drone attack on Leipzig airport in Germany , blamed on Russia, and remarks by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk suggesting Russia was planning drone and missile strikes against Poland and other countries on Nato's eastern flank.