Sweden confirms Russian drone intercepted near French aircraft carrier 

Sweden’s military has confirmed that a drone disabled near a visiting French aircraft carrier this week was Russian, prompting France to condemn what it described as a “ridiculous provocation” by Moscow.

The incident took place in the Oresund strait between Sweden and Denmark, as France’s flagship Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was on a visit to the region.

“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,” the Swedish military said in a statement on Friday.

“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 “technical data” confirmed the origins of the drone as being the Russian vessel “Zhigulevsk”, noting also that the incident “constitutes a breach of Sweden’s access regulations and a violation of Swedish airspace”.

“The Swedish Armed Forces responded firmly and professionally with countermeasures that disrupted the drone,” Jonson said.

According to the AFP news agency, a Swedish navy vessel, HMS Rapp, used technical equipment to disable the drone about 13km (eight miles) from the French carrier.

Swedish forces took action when the Russian drone was deemed to be flying without authorisation.

Sweden said the Russian ship failed to comply with regulations governing transit through Swedish waters and HMS Rapp later escorted the vessel out of Swedish maritime territory into the Baltic Sea.

The French carrier and its escort ships had docked in Malmo on Wednesday for a visit by the vessel to the Swedish port before taking part in NATO exercises.

Speaking on board the Charles de Gaulle on Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that if Russian involvement was confirmed, “the only conclusion I would draw is that it would be a ridiculous provocation”.

“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,” he said.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said an investigation had been launched and suggested the timing was unlikely to be accidental.

“It is a Russian way of acting that we recognise from other places,” he said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegation, calling it “quite an absurd statement”.

The Baltic Sea region has become an area of mounting tension between Russia and NATO countries.

Several members of the NATO alliance – bordering and near to Russia – have reported a surge in drone sightings which have caused disruptions in recent months, with some attributing them to Moscow.