Russian hidden cyberattacks against Western countries can lead to civilian casualties and potentially grow into a military confrontation in the real world, the head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry warned in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.

Edgars Rinkevics told Roland Oliphant that Russia could take advantage of large-scale military games in September to test NATO's stability before the "hybrid war" in full, including the propaganda and cyber attacks that Moscow used against Ukraine earlier.

"I am very concerned that this hidden cyberwar can reach the level when we will not talk about attacks on banks or repayment," the politician said..

"At some point, people will die," Rinkevics said.. "If security systems are collapsed or if hospitals are left without electricity, I am afraid that such activity can provoke a very real build-up of military power".

"I'm worried that at some point we will establish that because of cyberattacks there were victims, and we will be able to trace where these cyber attacks came from. Then the situation can become much more tense, "the Latvian minister explained..

Rinkevics expects that this month Russia will further sharpen its cyber and other "hybrid" potential with a view to a possible conflict with the West:

Russian and Belarusian troops will conduct the West-2017 exercise on September 14-20,.

"We are not mistaken about the West-2017 exercises," said the head of the Latvian Foreign Ministry. "These are not defensive exercises - by their nature they are offensive teachings".

"There is a possibility that they are wider than just conventional military exercises," added Rinkevics. "We can not exclude incidents and provocations, which include testing our defense in cyberspace".