Emmanuel Macron bangs his fist on the table. The Head of State affirmed that drones considered hostile violating European airspace will now be able to “to be destroyed”this Thursday, October 2, on the sidelines of a European Union summit in Copenhagen, reports AFP.
“Drones that violate our territories take risks. They can be destroyed. We will do what we have to do to preserve our integrity”he warned. Comments which come in a context of strong tensions between the European Union, NATO and Russia, accused of having violated the continent’s airspace on several occasions in recent weeks.
“Europe finds itself in a confrontation with Russia”
At the opening of the summit, this Wednesday, October 1, the President of the French Republic estimated that Europe “is found in a confrontation with Russia. He then described the country led by Vladimir Putin as“very aggressive actor in our information space in the context of our elections”. Emmanuel Macron assured that Russia “increasing cyber attacks, launched a war of aggression in Ukraine, uses the nuclear threat and today provokes in air spaces”.
Last week, unidentified drones were spotted above civilian airports in Denmark. On Friday September 26, other aircraft flew over a Danish military base, then on Saturday a Norwegian base. That same day, a swarm of drones also flew over northern Germany. Berlin responded by authorizing its armed forces to shoot down any aircraft penetrating its territory. For its part, the Kremlin denies any involvement in the incidents reported in Denmark, Poland, Romania and Estonia.
Sweden, Germany and France promised their help to Denmark in the face of these drones on the sidelines of the European summit. In a press release published this Monday, September 29, the Ministry of the Armed Forces announced that temporary joint assets have been deployed in Copenhagen. “This detachment, already operational, is made up of 35 people, a Fennec helicopter and active means for the fight against drones”we can read in this document. It will act in full cooperation with the Danish authorities and with respect for the sovereignty of our ally. »
