The Swedish military confirmed on Friday that a drone it jammed near a French aircraft carrier this week was Russian, amid concerns Moscow is deploying hybrid war tactics against European nations that have backed Kyiv. On Thursday, a Swedish navy vessel jammed the drone 13km (eight miles) from France’s flagship, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, while it was in the Oresund stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden.
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”. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described Barrot’s statement as “quite an absurd statement”.
The incident follows a decision by Romania on Thursday to scramble fighter jets when a drone breached its national airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine. Nato’s easternmost countries have reported numerous drone sightings in recent months, with some blaming Russia.
Denmark’s intelligence service warned Friday that a foreign power may try to sway voters in the country’s general election on 24 March and that it was a priority target for Russia because of its support for Ukraine. Denmark’s police and military intelligence services said in a joint statement the Scandinavian country’s election campaign could be marked by disinformation and cyber-attacks.
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, who lags in most polls, is using Ukraine as a distraction from domestic issues as Hungary heads to an election in April, policy analysts say. Orbán’s government has used AI to generate billboard posters showing Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU officials with their hands outstretched, with the message: “Our message to Brussels: We won’t pay!”
The leaders of Ukraine and Slovakia agreed on Friday to hold a face-to-face meeting as they wrangle over a blocked pipeline that takes Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had negotiated a temporary local ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, allowing restoration of a backup power supply to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. At least 55 Ghanaians have been killed in Russia’s war with Ukraine after being “lured into battle”, Ghana’s foreign minister said.
