French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed back against reports that the CIA warned Paris of a potential Russian drone operation targeting southern Europe. In a joint interview broadcast on France 2 and TF1, Macron said: “We can deny this piece of information, the CIA did not inform France of this information and the Italian defence minister said the same thing.”
The denial comes after the Spanish daily El Mundo reported on Thursday that US intelligence had alerted several southern European governments to a possible Russian drone strike aimed at Spain, France, and Italy. The report suggested Moscow might use merchant vessels to launch such attacks, a scenario that has been a growing concern among NATO allies.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was quick to dismiss the story. Writing on X, he said: “The alarm raised this morning by a Spanish newspaper that hypothesises possible attacks on Italy, Spain, and France by Russian ships and drones serves no one and is not confirmed.” He added: “We already live in difficult, 'nervous' times, and no one needs more fuel on the fire.”
Russia's hybrid campaign against Europe
Macron used the interview to address Russia's broader and increasingly aggressive hybrid warfare against European states. He pointed to the drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport on the night of 4–5 August 2026, which German authorities have attributed to Moscow. That incident, which disrupted air traffic in eastern Germany, has been cited as a clear example of Russian sabotage operations on EU soil.
While France has not yet experienced a comparable attack, Macron warned that such an event remains possible. “When you ask me, 'Could this happen?' my answer is yes,” he said. His remarks reflect a growing consensus among European leaders that the Kremlin is willing to extend its operations beyond Ukraine, targeting critical infrastructure and civilian hubs across the continent.
The French president also framed Russia's strategic calculus, arguing that Moscow views “Europe to be the strategic heart of Ukraine.” He described the prospect of a direct Russian attack on European territory as “plausible,” echoing assessments from Danish intelligence that a full-scale assault on NATO remains unlikely but cannot be ruled out.
Macron's denial comes amid a broader pattern of Russian provocations. Earlier this year, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter briefly violated Polish airspace near Kaliningrad, and Russian strikes have continued to kill civilians in Ukraine as attacks intensify. The EU has also moved to counter Kremlin influence, including sanctioning former RT France chief Xenia Fedorova over propaganda activities.
The conflicting narratives—US warnings versus European denials—highlight the delicate nature of intelligence sharing within NATO. While Washington has been vocal about Russian threats, European capitals are wary of public alarm that could destabilise already tense societies. Crosetto's plea for calm underscores this sensitivity, even as governments quietly bolster their defences.
For now, the French and Italian positions are clear: no official CIA warning was received, and the reported threat remains unverified. But Macron's own admission that an attack is possible suggests that the underlying concern is real, even if the specific intelligence report is disputed.
