- The deployment is linked to ongoing NATO naval drills in the Baltic Sea amid heightened tensions with Russia
- Electronic systems were then activated to interfere with the drone’s controls, after which contact with it was lost
- The development came shortly after Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to fresh Russian strikes on Ukraine
Swedish authorities deployed electronic countermeasures to disable a suspected Russian drone that flew near a French aircraft carrier during NATO exercises in the Baltic region, according to multiple reports.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the incident occurred on February 25 while the French Navy’s flagship, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, was docked in Malmö, southern Sweden, as part of the LA FAYETTE 26 mission.
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The deployment is linked to ongoing NATO naval drills in the Baltic Sea amid heightened tensions with Russia.
Swedish broadcaster SVT reported that the drone was believed to have been launched from a nearby Russian vessel and headed toward the carrier before it was detected by Swedish forces conducting patrols in the Öresund Strait.
In a statement cited by SVT, the Swedish Armed Forces said a naval vessel identified a suspected unmanned aircraft during routine surveillance operations.
Electronic systems were then activated to interfere with the drone’s controls, after which contact with it was lost.
Officials have not confirmed whether the drone returned to the Russian ship or crashed into the sea.
Sweden’s Defence Minister, Pål Jonson, indicated that the drone likely originated from Russia, noting that a Russian military vessel was operating close to the area at the time.
A spokesperson for the French General Staff, Colonel Guillaume Vernet, said the drone was jammed roughly seven nautical miles from the Charles de Gaulle and stressed that the carrier’s operations were not affected.
The episode has intensified concerns about suspected Russian drone activity near Western military assets, particularly as NATO increases its presence in northern Europe.
The development came shortly after Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to fresh Russian strikes on Ukraine, further straining relations between Moscow and the alliance. It also followed renewed warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cautioned that escalation involving nuclear weapons would have serious consequences.
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