Russian drone neutralised near Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in Sweden
A Russian drone that was monitoring the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was detected and neutralised in Sweden. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the Swedish Ministry of Defence.
The incident occurred near the port of Malmö. According to the investigation, the radio reconnaissance drone was launched from the Russian reconnaissance ship Zhigulevsk (project 503R), which was in the Baltic Sea and attempted to approach close enough to carry out its mission.
The ship's manoeuvres were monitored by the Swedish patrol boat HSwMS Rapp. The military recorded the moment the drone was launched, documented its actions and subsequently neutralised the device.
Vice Admiral Eva Skog Haslum said that the operation was thwarted thanks to the vigilance of Swedish sailors and their high readiness to counter hybrid threats. According to her, the reconnaissance equipment was completely destroyed.
As the agency notes, the incident may have further consequences for Russia. The technical parameters of the drone have likely become available for analysis by NATO experts. In addition, the incident has once again drawn attention to Russia's activities near the territorial waters of European Union states — countries in the Baltic region have already stepped up coastal security measures.
