Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken a jab at claims from NATO countries about alleged drone incursions into their airspace. In a light-hearted manner, he noted, “I won’t send any drones to France, Denmark, Copenhagen, or Lisbon anymore,” while speaking at a forum with foreign policy experts in Sochi, a resort city on Russia’s Black Sea.
Putin insisted that the recent accusations about Russian drones flying over Denmark are simply part of NATO’s strategy to escalate tensions and to justify increased defense spending. Over the past months, at least ten European nations—including Poland, Germany, and France—have accused Russia of violating their airspace with drone activities. In response, the European Union has initiated a drone surveillance project aimed at enhancing security along its eastern border.
Increasingly, European leaders are raising alarms regarding Russian aggression, particularly throughout the Baltic area. During a high-profile summit in Copenhagen, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk went as far as to declare, “this is war.” He urged NATO to shed any remaining illusions and confront what he described as a “new kind of warfare.” This summit focused on reinforcing European defense mechanisms amidst ongoing reports of sabotage and drone operations.
Key Points to Note:
- Tusk disclosed that Poland had brought down Russian drones breaching its airspace earlier this September.
- He cautioned that there are near-daily incidents near critical Polish infrastructure, such as ports and pipelines.
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen referred to the current situation as a “hybrid war” imposing challenges on NATO allies.
- German forces reportedly conducted operations on the Russian vessel Scanlark, unearthing evidence tied to drone launches and sabotage tasks.
- In actions taken in Saint-Nazaire, French commando units apprehended crew members aboard the suspected tanker Borocay associated with illicit operations.
- Polish authorities detained a suspect believed to be linked to the GRU, accused of burying explosive devices in cemeteries in Łódź.
- Ongoing investigations into drone disruptions in Denmark, Norway, and Germany continue to point towards Russia as the primary suspect.
- Russia has categorically denied these allegations, insisting that it does not seek confrontation with Europe.
- Tusk also highlighted Ukraine’s pivotal part in this broadening conflict, stating, “If Ukraine goes down, it will feel like a defeat for all of us.”
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