Drone Incident Near French Aircraft Carrier in Malmo
The Swedish military jammed a drone after it was detected near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, docked in Malmo. The Swedish government stated the drone was probably Russian in origin.
The French military reported the drone was observed seven nautical miles (13 km) from the Charles de Gaulle, which was visiting Sweden for the first time. The carrier is scheduled to participate in NATO exercises in the region.
Swedish and French Officials Respond
Speaking aboard the carrier, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the incident as serious but not unexpected. He remarked,
"It was very difficult to see as a coincidence. It is a Russian way of acting that we recognise from other places."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Swedish allegations as "absurd." Nevertheless, NATO allies have reported multiple drone sightings near military sites and airports in recent months, including incidents in Denmark and the Baltic states.
Ongoing Investigations and Related Incidents
An investigation began in December following drone flights over the Île Longue naval base, home to France's nuclear ballistic submarines near Brest in Brittany.
Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson told public broadcaster SVT there was likely a "strong link" between the drone and a Russian naval vessel present in Sweden's territorial waters in the Oresund Strait, located between Sweden and Denmark.
The fate of the drone after jamming remains unclear, but Jonson noted the Russian ship had proceeded into the Baltic Sea.
French Praise and Military Assessments
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who accompanied Prime Minister Kristersson aboard the carrier on Friday, commended Sweden's handling of the event. He stated,
"If indeed... there is a potential Russian origin for this incident, the only conclusion I would draw is that it would be a ridiculous provocation."
Both the Swedish and French armed forces have downplayed the drone incident. French General Staff spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet emphasized the "robustness" of Sweden's response and confirmed the event had no impact on the French mission.
Gen Dominique Trinquand, a former French military commander at the United Nations, commented that if the drone was Russian near Malmo, it was unsurprising that Moscow would conduct intelligence operations in the area. He added,
"That they would do so while the French aircraft carrier is deployed there is certainly a strategic signal."
Charles de Gaulle's Role and NATO Exercises
The Charles de Gaulle is escorted by its own naval vessels and carries Rafale fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft. However, it depends on the host nation for defense while in territorial waters.
The carrier's arrival in Sweden marks a shift in France's military focus toward its NATO allies in Northern Europe.
Under the operation named La Fayette 26, the Charles de Gaulle will participate in several pre-planned NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, off Norway's coast.
This mission is widely viewed as a response to Moscow following an extended period of Russian hybrid warfare.
Fuel Spill Investigation in Malmo Port
Separately, Sweden's coast guard has launched an investigation into a fuel spill detected on Thursday in the port of Malmo, where two oil tankers and the Charles de Gaulle are docked.
Although the cause of the spill is not yet determined, port authorities have informed Swedish media that it is not connected to the aircraft carrier.
