Russia intensifies missile strikes on Ukraine as Macron warns of hybrid war
Russia continues missile attacks on Ukraine, Macron warns of hybrid war, and Canada pushes for a defence investment bank.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Russia has stepped up its missile attacks on Ukraine, including a strike on a passenger train that killed one person, while French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Europe faces an intensifying hybrid war and announced new protections against cyber and drone attacks.
Ukrainian cities have come under repeated missile fire, with Kyiv hit by a ballistic missile attack this evening. Earlier, a Russian attack on a Ukrainian passenger train left one person dead. Western officials say Putin is likely lashing out amid mounting Russian losses on the battlefield and Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia itself.
Macron told his government to plan against Russian drone and cyber attacks, describing the hybrid threat as having intensified in recent weeks. He said the intent is to intimidate Europe and break its support for Ukraine, but the result would be the exact opposite. France is also facing direct economic pressure: Moscow has placed over 200 Russian branches of French retailer Auchan under presidential decree, and subsidiaries of Swiss giant Nestle have suffered the same fate.
Britain is also in Moscow's crosshairs. Dana Dulakia, Britain's charge d'affaires, was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry in protest at UK military support, including drones and other weapons. Russia warned it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Meanwhile, Putin is voting electronically in parliamentary elections, the first since the full-scale invasion. The vote is intended to reinforce his authority after a slide in approval ratings, as Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries have brought the war home to Russia.
The broader Western response is grappling with how to fund increased defence spending. Canada's finance minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, met the UK chancellor in London and pushed for joining a new Canada-based Defence Security and Resilience Bank, a move aimed at unlocking billions for defence and supporting the industrial base. He called it a golden age for the transatlantic relationship.
Western officials remain cautious about how far Russia might go, noting recent incidents such as a Russian frigate firing flares at a Danish helicopter and a drone with explosives found near Ukrainian cargo planes in Germany, all short of provoking a wider conflict.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| Macron ordered new protections against cyber attack and sabotage for critical infrastructure and defence sites. | |
| Russia placed over 200 Russian branches of French supermarket chain Auchan under Moscow's control by presidential decree. | |
| Russian attacks killed and injured people across Ukraine, including a drone strike on a passenger train. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4 led with the missile attacks and Macron's hybrid war warning, then wove in diplomatic friction with Russia, including the summoning of Britain's charge d'affaires and the seizure of French and Swiss businesses. It also devoted significant time to the defence investment bank story, highlighting Canada's push for new institutional mechanisms to fund NATO defence spending, and offered a sober analysis of Putin's motives and the limits of Russian escalation.
- “Ukraine comes under Russian missile attack and the French president claims Moscow has stepped up its hybrid war against Europe.”
- “Macron is talking about hybrid attacks. That's a term that seems to cover an enormous range of different possible Russian options these days.”
- “Western officials believe Vladimir Putin is rattled by his failure to capture the Donbas region, and he's trying to raise the cost of the West's involvement.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.