Rome: NATO members must not tolerate deliberate hybrid warfare, and the US will support allies facing such incidents, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of a business conference in Italy, Whitaker emphasized the importance of vigilance against hybrid actions, citing last month's drone incident at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport, which Berlin attributed to Russia, as particularly concerning.

According to Anadolu Agency, Whitaker stated that the incident in Leipzig was more concerning than other recent events involving Russian drones that breached NATO airspace while targeting Ukraine. "Then you have what I would call the more concerning hybrid actions like we saw in Leipzig, like we have seen in Poland," Whitaker noted. He urged NATO members to respond firmly when hostile actions are identified and clearly communicate their intolerance for such actions.

He further warned about the potential targeting of critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, and advised national authorities to closely monitor these sites. While responses to these threats remain primarily a national responsibility, Whitaker assured that Washington would stand by its allies confronting such actions.

Germany has accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating the August 5 Leipzig Airport incident, leading to measures such as closing Russia's Consulate General in Bonn and terminating agreements with Russian cultural and information centers, including the Russian House in Berlin. Russia, however, has dismissed these allegations as "unsubstantiated, absurd and irrational," and the Russian Embassy in Germany criticized the measures as an "unprecedented escalation" in bilateral relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin attributed Berlin's accusations to Germany's domestic political situation.