Allied Intelligence — 2026-09-22

Macron Summons DGSE and DGSI Directors to Elysee Crisis Room and Orders Critical Infrastructure Protection Against Intensifying Russian Hybrid Threats

BLUFParis likely will publicly attribute a Russian-linked hybrid attack on French critical infrastructure by late March 2027, setting the stage for retaliatory measures during a volatile presidential campaign.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that "the Russian hybrid threat against Europeans and against France has intensified," speaking after briefing presidential hopefuls and party leaders in the Elysee Palace's crisis room 1234. DGSE director Nicolas Lerner and DGSI director Celine Berthon attended the session, which covered confidential intelligence assessments; National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Melenchon did not attend 14. Macron said he ordered the government to prepare a plan protecting critical infrastructure and the "most sensitive" defense and technology sites from drone and cyberattacks, and said France's interior minister had met regional prefects to increase vigilance 234. He said any Russian attack on French soil "will not go unanswered" and that France would keep supporting Ukraine, and separately said he would convene a G7 meeting on the energy crisis, which he linked to the Middle East and Ukraine conflicts 3.

Analysis
Macron's order to shield defense and technology sites from drone and cyber intrusion signals Paris now expects Russian hybrid operations to persist rather than recede, forcing prefects and infrastructure operators to harden posture ahead of the presidential campaign. France likely will publicly attribute a Russian-linked drone, cyber, or sabotage incident against critical infrastructure or a sensitive defense site within six months, by March 22, 2027. That assessment is held with high confidence, resting on convergent indicators: the Elysee's own intelligence briefing to political leaders, the explicit protective tasking to prefects, and the Leipzig precedent Berthon already cited as a template for targeting against French firms. Any attributed incident would sharpen Macron's campaign-season narrative of resolve against Moscow while testing his vow that such attacks "will not go unanswered."

4 sources

Emmanuel Macron orders protection of France critical infrastructure from Russian hybrid attacks - ABC News Australia
Macron orders plan to protect France's critical infrastructure against 'Russian hybrid attacks' - France 24
Macron orders protections for infrastructure, citing a growing Russian threat - NBC News (AP)
Macron warns of Russian 'hybrid' threat after meeting presidential hopefuls - France 24