Disputed intelligence report

A report published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo alleged that the CIA warned European governments about potential Russian drone attacks directed at Italy, France, and Spain. According to the newspaper, which cited a source close to the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, the reported scenario involved launching Gerbera drones from cargo containers aboard commercial vessels operating in the Mediterranean. These drones measure approximately two meters in length and possess an operating range of roughly 600 kilometers. Authorities in Rome and Paris moved swiftly to reject the claims. Italian intelligence officials and the prime minister's office clarified that United States agencies had communicated no such warning.

Italian officials urge calm

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto addressed the claims during appearances in Rome and Pescara, cautioning against the spread of unverified security warnings. Crosetto stated that Russian forces have no operational requirement to station commercial ships off Italian waters to present a threat, given their existing long-range arsenals. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, stated that Italian citizens should not fear direct military strikes. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini similarly described the circulation of baseless military alerts as irresponsible.

Crosetto expressed the government stance regarding public alarms:

“The alert is unconfirmed; nobody needs further fuel on the fire.”

French response and infrastructure protection

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron stated during interviews on France 2 and TF1 that United States intelligence had not provided the reported alert to France. While rejecting the specific Mediterranean vessel narrative, Macron noted that Russian hostile actions have increased across the continent. Macron observed that Moscow considers European territory to be the strategic depth of Ukraine, creating ongoing risks for civilian and transport hubs including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Marseille airports. In response to broader hybrid threats, French authorities instructed regional prefects to increase physical security measures across civilian, military, and defense industrial facilities.

Macron stated his intention to avoid rhetorical escalations:

“All that Russia seeks is to push us to use bellicose tones, so that it can justify its own mobilization or its own attitude.”

Pattern of regional security incidents

The diplomatic statements follow a series of cross-border disruptions and security incidents across Europe. On 23 September, Moldovan President Maia Sandu confirmed that four Russian drones violated Moldovan airspace during an aerial assault against targets in Ukraine. On the same evening in Poland, an act of arson caused damage at a ground station used by the Starlink satellite network, an event that Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski linked to Russian methods. Earlier in September, French officials investigated rail disruptions, including tampering in the Netherlands and a train derailment on the Caen-Rouen line in Normandy that injured 44 people after an iron bar was placed on the tracks. In Denmark, Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus and intelligence analysts warned that while direct military conflict remains improbable, European states face growing risks of sabotage and cyberattacks.