PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2021) French Defense Minister Florence Parly on Wednesday accused Russia of using hybrid strategies in Europe, Africa and the middle East, saying that Moscow's behavior obligates Paris to scale-up its intelligence capabilities.
"I can stress Russia, which uses a hybrid mode of action in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Its non-transparent actions obligate us to increase our intelligence capabilities," Parly said while addressing the upper house's foreign affairs, defense and armed forces committee.
According to the minister, Russia has been developing for years a strategy of distrust in northern and eastern Europe in order to keep neighboring countries under control.
The minister also said that Russia was one of France's main strategic competitors in the southern Mediterranean, the region of Levant and Africa, adding that Moscow is challenging the actions of Paris in the region, "basing on non-state structures and maneuvers for disinformation."
