The Swedish government stated that a drone spotted near a French aircraft carrier in Malmö and jammed by Swedish military was probably Russian.

French military reported the drone was seen 13km from the Charles de Gaulle carrier, which is visiting Sweden for the first time and is set to participate in NATO exercises in the region.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, speaking aboard the carrier, called the incident serious but not unexpected. He added, "It is very difficult to see as a coincidence, it is a Russian way of acting that we recognise from other places."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Swedish claims as "absurd."

Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said there was likely a "strong link" between the drone and a Russian naval vessel in Sweden's territorial waters. The drone's fate after jamming is unclear, but the Russian ship sailed into the Baltic Sea.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said if the incident had a Russian origin, it would be a "ridiculous provocation." Both militaries downplayed the drone incident.

Former French military commander Dominique Trinquand noted that if it was a Russian drone, Moscow's intelligence operations in the area are unsurprising, but conducting them near the French carrier sends a strategic signal.

The Charles de Gaulle carrier is participating in NATO exercises in the Baltic and off Norway, seen as a response to Moscow's hybrid warfare.

Meanwhile, Sweden's coast guard is investigating a fuel spill in Malmö port, unrelated to the aircraft carrier.

Source: www.bbc.com