Finance
France says drone incident near aircraft carrier would be 'provocation' if Russian link confirmed
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 27, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 27, 2026
Quick Summary
France says there is no proof Russia was behind a drone neutralised near the Charles de Gaulle while docked in Malmö, but warned it would amount to a “ridiculous provocation” if confirmed. Sweden’s defence leadership says the drone likely violated Swedish airspace and was seen in connection with a R
France: Drone near Charles de Gaulle would be provocation if tied to Russia
France and Sweden respond after unidentified drone neutralised near aircraft carrier
Barrot: No evidence of Russian involvement, but warning of provocation
PARIS, Feb 27 (Reuters) - France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday Paris had no evidence that Russia was behind an unidentified drone neutralised near the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier docked in Sweden but if that were to be the case it would be a "ridiculous provocation".
Incident details: Drone downed near carrier group docked in Malmo
The Swedish military on Wednesday took down a drone of unknown origin detected more than 10 km from the carrier, the French army told Reuters. The carrier group is currently on a mission in the region and docked this week in the city of Malmo.
Key statements and operational updates
Sweden’s assessment of possible airspace violation
* Sweden's Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on ThursdaySwedish airspace had probably been violated by a drone "inconnection with a Russian military ship" in Swedish territorialwaters.France’s position on potential Russian origin
* "If indeed, as the (Swedish) defence minister suggested,there is a potential Russian origin for this incident, the onlyconclusion I would draw is that this is a ridiculousprovocation," Barrot told reporters in Malmo on Friday.Security impact on the French carrier
* The security of the French battleship was not threatened,he added.Swedish Navy observations and countermeasures
* A Swedish Navy ship observed the suspicious drone duringan ongoing maritime patrol on Thursday, Sweden's armed forcessaid. * Sweden initiated countermeasures to disrupt the drone,which was not recovered, and no further observations have sincebeen made.Broader context: Drone activity across European NATO countries
* The incident is the latest in a flurry of drone activitiesin several European NATO countries that have been linked toMoscow.Source and credits
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro, John Irish in Paris, Johan Ahlander in Stockholm and Terje Solsvik in Oslo; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Key Takeaways
- •Swedish forces detected a suspicious drone in the Öresund area and used countermeasures to disrupt it; contact was then lost and the drone was not recovered, while French officials said the carrier’s operations and security were not threatened. (defensenews.com)
- •Sweden’s Defence Minister Pål Jonson said the incident was likely a violation of Swedish airspace and occurred in connection with a Russian military ship operating nearby; Russia’s Kremlin rejected the allegation as “absurd.” (washingtonpost.com)
- •The episode comes as the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group participates in NATO-linked exercise activity and broader high-intensity training deployments (including France’s ORION 26), underscoring heightened sensitivity around drones and ‘hybrid’ security threats in Northern Europe. (defensenews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about France says drone incident near aircraft carrier would be 'provocation' if Russian link confirmed
1What did France say about the drone incident near the Charles de Gaulle carrier?
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France had no evidence Russia was behind the drone, but if a Russian link were confirmed it would be a "ridiculous provocation."
2Where was the drone detected and what action was taken?
The Swedish military took down an unidentified drone detected more than 10 km from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier while it was docked in Malmo.
3What did Sweden's defence minister suggest about the drone's origin?
Defence Minister Pal Jonson said Swedish airspace had probably been violated by a drone "in connection with a Russian military ship" in Swedish territorial waters.
4Was the French carrier's security threatened?
Barrot said the security of the French battleship was not threatened.
5Was the drone recovered after countermeasures were used?
Sweden initiated countermeasures to disrupt the drone, but it was not recovered and no further observations have since been made.
