Sweden confirms Russian drone intercepted near French aircraft carrier

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.

A drone was jammed by the Swedish military near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while it was docked in Malmo, Sweden. The Swedish defense minister stated the drone was "probably" Russian and linked it to a Russian naval vessel in the Oresund Strait. The French military downplayed the incident, emphasizing the effectiveness of the Swedish response. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the claims as "absurd." The Charles de Gaulle, equipped with Rafale fighter jets, is in Sweden to participate in NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea as part of a mission called La Fayette 26. The incident follows months of reported drone sightings near military sites of NATO allies.

On February 25th, the Swedish Armed Forces jammed a suspected Russian drone approaching the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle while it was docked in Malmö, Sweden, during NATO's LA FAYETTE 26 drills. The incident occurred in the Öresund Strait, where a Swedish Navy ship detected the drone and activated electronic countermeasures, disrupting its control systems and causing it to lose contact. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson indicated the drone likely originated from a nearby Russian military vessel. The French military confirmed the jamming and stated it did not disrupt operations on board the carrier. The incident took place amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia, following increased Russian strikes over Ukraine and warnings from Vladimir Putin.