Macron denies CIA warning about Russian drones

French President Emmanuel Macron firmly rejected claims made by Spanish newspaper El Mundo that the CIA had warned Paris of a possible Russian drone attack. During an interview on September 24 with French broadcaster RTL, Macron dismissed the report as false, stating that the CIA had not informed French authorities of such an attack.

Despite this denial, Macron acknowledged that Europe's security situation was "becoming increasingly tense" and a cause for concern. He drew attention to an attempted drone attack on an airport in Leipzig, Germany, emphasizing that France had not faced similar incidents, though the threat remained. Macron asserted that Russia was escalating "hostile and sometimes criminal actions" against European nations.

He also expressed concern over the potential mobilization of 300,000 individuals in Russia, deeming it a "plausible scenario." El Mundo reported that the CIA had informed European governments—especially Spain, France, and Italy—of a possible Russian drone attack, possibly originating from Mediterranean Sea vessels. The paper cited a Gerbera drone capability with a range of up to 600 kilometers for Russia.

Sources familiar with the warning stated that Spain, France, and Italy were among the countries informed about Russia's potential plans, following CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow on August 25.