Germany joins France in summoning Russian ambassador over alleged cyber, hybrid attacks
Meanwhile, Germany joined France (10:14) in summoning the Russian ambassador to Berlin over what the EU alleges were Russian cyber-attacks against several EU countries and Ukraine (10:38, 10:52).
The German foreign ministry said the attacks were unacceptable and would be met with decisive actions, Reuters reported.
Key events
‘Technological humiliation of the Russian empire continues,’ Ukrainian drone chief says, as Sea of Azov shipping is restricted
Luke Harding
in Kyiv
Meanwhile, Russia has been forced to suspend shipping in the Sea of Azov after 90 vessels were targeted by Ukrainian drones in less than a week.
Ukraine's drone forces chief, Robert Brovdi, said on Sunday that his units had hit 10 tankers and four ferries overnight, as well as a major oil refinery in the city of Syzran. There had been several strikes on electricity substations in occupied Crimea, he added.
“The technological humiliation of the [Russian] empire continues. It will fall because of Crimea,†Brovdi wrote on social media. He said Moscow's shadow fleet, which transports sanctioned oil products around the world, was “noticeably shrinking†and could no longer use the Kerch strait, connecting the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov went even further and was quoted as dismissing the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing as “a coalition of warmongers.â€
“These are the countries that are undertaking hostile actions against Russia, so we will be watching very closely.â€
Kremlin will ‘closely follow’ Paris meeting, blames Coalition of the Willing for continuing war
Responding to the Paris summit on France, the Kremlin said it would “closely follow†the discussions today, but criticised the Coalition of the Willing as “the group of countries which want the Ukraine war to continue,†Reuters reported.
Germany joins France in summoning Russian ambassador over alleged cyber, hybrid attacks
Meanwhile, Germany joined France (10:14) in summoning the Russian ambassador to Berlin over what the EU alleges were Russian cyber-attacks against several EU countries and Ukraine (10:38, 10:52).
The German foreign ministry said the attacks were unacceptable and would be met with decisive actions, Reuters reported.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Russian attacks overnight on Ukraine, saying “the Russians have once again 'triumphed' over absolutely civilian targets,†as they struck “ordinary passenger buses in Odesa, ordinary apartment buildings in Zaporizhzhia, and an ordinary hospital in the Kharkiv region.â€
“Every single day of this war that Russia is waging against life only proves that supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do from every perspective – defence, political, and simply human. And everyone around the world sees it.
They see that Ukraine needs more air defence, more protection for people's lives, and that the Russian authorities have gone insane over this war and are completely irrational in refusing to end it.
But pressure on Russia must work. New sanctions against the aggressor, new support packages for Ukraine, new projects – like our European anti-ballistic initiative, FREYJA – all of this must work. Thank you to everyone who is helping. In the near future, there will be meetings and negotiations that must strengthen our defences.â€
Later today we will be focusing on the Paris summit on Ukraine, which comes at a “powerful moment of renewed transatlantic convergence and unityâ€, but also of “more favourable developments on the ground†for Kyiv, the Élysée said.
The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing – led by Macron and Starmer – are set to focus on cooperation on air and missile defence with Ukraine, including licensed weapons production in the country.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy and other leaders are expected to stay in Paris for tomorrow's Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées, which Macron's office said will highlight France's ongoing support for France, AFP reported.
EU's Kaja Kallas said earlier that the foreign ministers meeting in Brussels were hoping to get a deal on as many as 250 listings, on top of the 21st sanctions package.
“This is the biggest number of listings we have done so far. It's also reaction to the attacks that Russia has had on the [Ukrainian] civilians recently,†she said.
“There are different people, individuals that have been engaging in in different activities. So it's a vast list I hope that we get to adopt today. When it comes to the 21st package, there are still some open questions, but we are working towards agreement,†she added.
UK sanctions 24 individuals, entities for Russia’s destructive hybrid operations; attributes last year’s attack on Poland’s energy grid to Russia
The UK has also updated its sanctions, listing 24 individuals and entities behind “the destructive and hybrid operations†in Europe, including an attempt to disrupt Poland's electricity grid last year (Europe Live, January).
“Today's action targets 24 individuals and entities behind the destructive cyber and hybrid operations including cybercriminals involved in proxy networks linked to the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS).
This includes sanctioning GRU senior leadership figures Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin and Ivan Kasyanenko for their role in directing GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations. GRU Unit 29155 cyber division worked with cybercriminals, including the company IMPULS, to recruit hackers and cyber specialists from universities and academies across Russia.
In addition, the UK together with EU member states is today attributing the attack on Poland's energy grid to Russia's FSB Centre 16. This reckless attack failed but could have caused 500,000 citizens to lose electricity in the depths of winter. It is another example of the Russian state's irresponsible attempts to sow chaos across Europe.
As Russia struggles to sustain its ailing war effort in Ukraine, the Russian Intelligence Service agencies have tasked cybercriminals to collect intelligence to support Russia's military and foreign policy objectives, threatening security across Europe. This is another example of Russia using its criminal networks to do its dirty work.â€
EU sanctions nine people, four entities over Russian cyber espionage, sabotage
And just like that, the EU has just issued new sanctions over “Russia's malicious cyber ecosystem targeting the EU, its member states and international partners.â€
“These activities have included infiltration of governmental networks and sabotage of critical infrastructure. Among others, France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Finland have been targeted.
In France, the 16th Centre has conducted cyber espionage against strategic governmental entities since 2010 and defence industry in 2025.
In Germany, it has targeted governmental entities.
Recently in Poland, the 16th Centre has carried out disruptive sabotage operations against critical infrastructure, including combined heating and power plants.â€
Nine people and four entities got sanctioned, the EU said, including GRU intelligence officers, cybercriminals and “private companies that contribute to Russia's efforts to destabilise the EU.â€
“We strongly condemn Russia's behaviour and misuse of this cyber ecosystem, targeting public services and critical infrastructure, causing disruptions and financial losses.â€
Morning opening: Focus on Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
French president Emmanuel Macron is going to host the Coalition of the Willing in Paris later today amid hopes that Ukraine's recent advances in strikes on Russia could force Vladimir Putin to a negotiating table.
The meeting at the Hôtel des Invalides – hosted just before Bastille Day – will bring together over 20 European leaders for further talks on how to help Kyiv and put more pressure on Moscow.
Earlier, Macron will meet with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
There will be a press conference with Macron, Zelenskyy, Germany's Friedrich Merz, and Britain's outgoing PM, Keir Starmer, in the late afternoon.
Building up to the meeting, France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France will summon the â Russian ambassador â to Paris ​in the coming â days over an alleged cyberhacking â campaign ​conducted ‌by Russia ‌against European countries ‌including France, Reuters reported.
“We ‌are going to publicly ​condemn a widespread cyber campaign carried â out by ​Russia against ​at ​least 10 ​European countries,†‌Barrot ​told ​BFM TV.
“We will also impose sanctions on nine individuals and four entities responsible for this cyber campaign, which was orchestrated by the FSB†security service, he added.
Separately, some 300 kilometers up north from Paris, EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the bloc's next, 21st, package of sanctions against Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters that “there are still some open questions†and the package has not been signed off by the ministers, but hoped an agreement could be struck later today.
Lithuanian ​foreign minister KÄ™stutis Budrys said EU countries had yet to reach a decision on a proposed maritime services ban and â tightening restrictions on Russian liquefied natural ​gas.
“So ​I'm looking to ​see whether we are serious ​enough. ‌We cannot put ​economic ​interests above security interests … that is a very dangerous trend,†he told reporters.
Lots for us to cover.
I will bring you all the latest here.
It's Monday, 13 July 2026, it's Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
