Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on Monday that the source of a recent wave of drone disruptions across several European countries remains unknown, but emphasised that the incidents serve as a stark reminder to Europeans of the ongoing dangers posed by war.
Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, played down the theory that recent disruption, including to airport traffic in Germany and Denmark, was the result of any actions connected to Russia or forces sympathising with it.
“People who sympathise with our country (in Europe) will not waste their resources by coming out of hiding. Our ‘agents and moles’ are waiting for a separate order,” Medvedev wrote on his official Telegram channel.
Medvedev, who has built a reputation for himself as an outspoken anti-Western hawk, said the main thing, regardless of who was responsible, was that European citizens had got a taste of what a war could mean for their continent, something he accused French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of stoking for political and financial reasons.
“The main thing is that short-sighted Europeans feel the danger of war on their own skin. That they fear and tremble like dumb animals in a herd being driven to slaughter,” said Medvedev, who said he hoped people might then turn on Merz and Macron.
European talk of using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukrainian arms purchases, along with talk of shooting down Russian planes which stray into European airspace and plans to assemble “a drone wall”, have angered Russian government officials who have repeatedly said they have no intention to attack any NATO member state despite claims to the contrary.
Oslo Drone Sighting
Norway’s Oslo Airport temporarily paused one or several landings early on Monday after a report of a drone sighting near the airport, its operator Avinor said.
“One or more aircraft waited in the air until the situation was clarified. No aircraft departed for alternative airports,” an Avinor spokesperson said.
The Norwegian news agency cited police as saying they had received a report around midnight that a Norwegian Air pilot thought he saw three to five drones during an approach to the airport.
Avinor said there had been no further disruptions to air traffic.
NTB reported, citing police, that the observation remained unverified.
European aviation has been repeatedly thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Oslo and Munich.
(With inputs from Reuters)
