Sweden’s Defense Minister, Paul Jonson, has confirmed that a drone intercepted by Swedish forces near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle originated from a Russian reconnaissance ship, the Zhigulivsk.
In a statement shared on social media, Jonson indicated that technical data allowed the Swedish Armed Forces to ascertain the drone’s source. He described the incident as a violation of Sweden’s airspace and access regulations, stating, “This is, of course, serious and irresponsible. The Swedish Armed Forces responded decisively and professionally, taking countermeasures that disrupted the drone’s operation.”
The Russian Embassy in Sweden responded to Jonson’s claims through Ambassador Sergey Belyaev, who asserted that the Swedish allegations lacked supporting evidence and that the embassy had not received any formal inquiries regarding the incident.
On February 27, Swedish authorities reported that a drone had approached the Charles de Gaulle while it was docked in Malmö. The drone was subsequently neutralized by Swedish military forces.
Sweden's Defense Minister has confirmed that a drone intercepted near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was launched from a Russian vessel. The incident has drawn a response from the Russian Embassy, which disputes the claims made by Swedish officials.