A report transmitted by the CIA to the European foreign ministries informs about a possible operation with Russian drones against their strategic objectives. The governments of France, Spain, and Italy have been specifically warned about potential risks on their territory, according to El Mundo.
The Spanish newspaper quotes a source close to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, indicating that it would be about “drones launched from the sea, hidden in a container”.
The type of drone that could be used against France, Spain or Italy is a Gerbera model, which can reach speeds of 160 km/h and a maximum range of 600 kilometers. Launched a few hundred kilometers from the coast, the flight would last between one and two hours.
Gerbera could, upon impact with the target, cause a fire, damage critical equipment, or lead to the closure of an airport, but without being able to destroy a major facility, reports news.ro.
Several defense analysts consulted by El Mundo assert that the report would be highly accurate and would be taken seriously by the authorities in Paris. The warning seems to coincide with the fact that President Macron exceptionally summoned the leaders of several parties in the country to the Elysee Palace on September 18, to inform them about the “rapid deterioration of the international situation.”
The disclosure of this CIA report also fuels questions about the visit of the head of the powerful American intelligence service, John Ratcliffe, to Moscow, on August 25. The Kremlin then claimed that he came to hold discussions with the Russian secret services.
Attempts to destabilize European countries that support Ukraine have multiplied in the last year, with incidents being reported even in several NATO states.