Sweden confirms Russian drone intercepted near French aircraft carrier

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 28, 2026 at 09:47 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In late February 2026, Swedish armed forces intercepted a Russian drone operating without authorization near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Oresund strait between Sweden and Denmark. The drone was launched from the Russian signals intelligence ship Zhigulevsk. Sweden's defense minister confirmed the drone's origin and stated the incident violated Swedish airspace regulations. The Swedish navy vessel HMS Rapp used technical countermeasures to disable the drone approximately 13km from the French carrier. Swedish forces escorted the Russian vessel out of Swedish maritime territory into the Baltic Sea after it failed to comply with transit regulations. France condemned the incident as a "ridiculous provocation" by Moscow.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Baltic Sea 30% Denmark 30% Oresund strait 40% HMS Rapp ×240% Zhigulevsk 40% Pal Jonson ×250% Charles de Gaulle ×360% Swedish Armed Forces ×370% France ×370% Russia ×580% Sweden ×890%

Keywords

russian drone 100% french aircraft carrier 80% swedish waters 80% maritime security 70% sweden 60% military countermeasures 60% russia 50% airspace violation 50% france 50%