Macron says Russian drones could target sites in France
The French President called the scenario of Russia mobilizing around 300,000 people plausible and said Moscow is stepping up hostile actions against Europe, which it regards as Ukraine’s “strategic rear.”
As reported by an Ukrinform correspondent, Emmanuel Macron said this in a joint interview with TF1 and France 2.
“Some information points to 300,000 additional troops. In any case, this is a scenario that seems plausible to us. There are several indications that Russia is preparing for this,” he said.
According to the French President, the Russian authorities were waiting for the State Duma elections to conclude before potentially making such a decision.
Macron stressed that the threat concerns not only Ukraine, against which Russia has been waging war since February 2022, and in fact since 2014, but Europe as a whole, where hostile actions have increased in recent weeks.
“Today, we need to be very clear: Russia considers Europe to be Ukraine’s strategic rear. Since Europeans are helping Ukrainians, while Ukrainians are striking oil refineries and other sensitive facilities in Russia to force it to end the war, Moscow believes that Europe could also become a target,” he explained.
Asked whether Russian drones could attack an aircraft or an airport in France, Macron said: “Yes.”
At the same time, he rejected media reports that U.S. intelligence had warned Paris that Russia was preparing a drone attack which could be launched from the sea against southern France.
“We can refute this information. The CIA did not inform French services of preparations for such an attack,” the Macron said.
He noted that France had not recorded attacks similar to the incident in Leipzig, Germany, where explosive-laden drones were discovered in early August and, according to available information, were intended to attack Ukrainian aircraft.
“The attack in Leipzig was extremely serious. It failed, but if it had succeeded, there would have been deaths on German territory. Yes, this is war. Period. These are hostile actions that can kill,” the French President stressed.
According to Macron, Russia has been attacking European countries in the information and cyber domains for years, and its actions are now becoming increasingly dangerous.
“Russia is multiplying hostile, and sometimes criminal, actions against European states,” he said.
Speaking about the situation on the battlefield, Macron noted that at the current pace of Russia’s advance, it would take another one and a half to two years to attempt to capture the entire Donbas, at the cost of enormous losses and further suffering for Ukraine.
“Our responsibility is to help Ukraine resist. That is what we have been doing from the very beginning,” the French leader stressed.
He recalled that during his recent meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, a contract was signed to supply Ukraine with additional radars, and an agreement was reached on the supply of interceptor missiles to strengthen Ukrainian air defense.
As reported by Ukrinform, Denmark’s intelligence service believes that Russia is likely to intensify its hybrid warfare against Western countries and NATO in the coming months.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine