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The Swedish military confirmed Friday that a drone jammed near a French aircraft carrier this week was Russian as France slammed the spy attempt as a “ridiculous provocation”.
The incident happened on Thursday in the Oresund, the stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden. A Swedish navy vessel jammed the drone 13 kilometres (eight miles) from France’s flagship, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Sweden’s armed forces confirmed that the drone had been Russian.
“During the visit of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, one of the Swedish Armed Forces’ vessels observed a drone taking off from a Russian signals intelligence ship,” said a military statement.
“The Swedish Armed Forces can now confirm that a Russian drone has carried out an unauthorised flight,” it added.
Sweden’s Defence Minister Pal Jonson said Thursday that the drone was “probably” Russian, noting the presence nearby of a Russian military vessel.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told journalists on the Charles de Gaulle on Friday that if Russian involvement was confirmed, “the only conclusion I would draw is that it would be a ridiculous provocation”.
Barrot stressed that the drone could never have posed a real threat.
“The drone was neutralised away from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and in no way was the security of the aircraft carrier and its group threatened by this”.
Moscow says accusation ‘absurd’
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said earlier that an investigation had started and he did not believe the timing was a coincidence with the aircraft carrier visiting. “It is a Russian way of acting that we recognise from other places.”
Asked about the allegation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists it was “quite an absurd statement”.
Read moreRussia’s ambassador to Sweden dismisses hybrid war accusations as ‘ridiculous’
Numerous drone sightings
The French Navy flagship and its escort, made a port call on Wednesday for the first time in the Swedish port of Malmo, before joining NATO exercises.
Speaking to reporters, Alice Rufo, a deputy French defence minister, played down the interception.
“We cannot describe what happened as an incident. There was indeed a drone, which was dealt with very pro-actively by our Swedish partner,” Rufo said.
The Baltic Sea is a theatre of rivalry between Russia and the NATO alliance countries.
NATO’s easternmost countries have reported numerous drone sightings in recent months, with some blaming Russia.
Four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there is growing concern that such disruption could be part of hybrid war tactics by Moscow against the European nations which have backed Kyiv.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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