MADRID: The Spanish government is preparing to evacuate more than 70 Spaniards in Niger by air after the military seized power in West African country, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
A foreign ministry spokesperson declined to provide further details about the operation, such as whether Spain would send its own aircraft, citing security concerns.
The decision comes after France said it would evacuate its own citizens and those of other European Union countries after Niger closed its airspace and canceled all commercial flights. Italy also said on Tuesday it would send a special flight to repatriate its nationals from the capital Niamey.
The Spanish foreign ministry said embassy staff in Niamey have contacted Spanish residents and visitors there to coordinate the operation.
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Spain to evacuate more than 70 citizens from Niger
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Spain to evacuate more than 70 citizens from Niger
- The decision comes after France said it would evacuate its own citizens and those of other European Union countries
Sweden intercepts suspected Russian drone during visit by French aircraft carrier
- Swedish naval ship observed the suspected drone during a patrol in the Oresund
- Kremlin says ‘absurd’ to suggest drone jammed near French aircraft carrier is Russian
STOCKHOLM: The Swedish military has intercepted a suspected Russian drone off the south of the country as a French aircraft carrier was docked in the port of Malmo, officials say.
Kremlin said it was ‘absurd’ to suggest drone jammed near French aircraft carrier was Russian.
The armed forces said on Thursday that a Swedish naval ship observed the suspected drone during a patrol in the Oresund, the strait that divides Sweden from Denmark.
They said that unspecified countermeasures were taken to disrupt the drone, and that contact with the drone was then lost.
The French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is in the southern Swedish city of Malmo this week as part of regular NATO exercise activities. Malmo is located on the Oresund, opposite the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
French military spokesperson Guillaume Vernet said that the drone was detected on Wednesday and handled by Swedish forces integrated into a security system around the carrier. He said Friday that the drone was more than 10 kilometers from the Charles de Gaulle.
“This system showed it is robust, and this event had no impact on the activity of the aircraft carrier battle group,” Vernet said.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson told public broadcaster SVT Thursday evening that the suspected violation of Swedish airspace by a drone happened in connection with a Russian military ship being in Swedish territorial waters. Asked what country he thinks the drone belongs to, he replied: “Probably Russia.”
The Russian ship continued into the Baltic Sea, and Swedish authorities have been in close contact with Denmark about the incident, Jonson said. The armed forces said no further drones were observed.
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe. An Associated Press database has documented well over 100 incidents.
Not all incidents are public and it can sometimes take officials months to establish a link to Moscow. While officials say the campaign — waged since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — aims to deprive Kyiv of support, they believe Moscow is also trying to identify Europe’s weak spots and suck up law enforcement resources.
Kremlin said it was ‘absurd’ to suggest drone jammed near French aircraft carrier was Russian.
The armed forces said on Thursday that a Swedish naval ship observed the suspected drone during a patrol in the Oresund, the strait that divides Sweden from Denmark.
They said that unspecified countermeasures were taken to disrupt the drone, and that contact with the drone was then lost.
The French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is in the southern Swedish city of Malmo this week as part of regular NATO exercise activities. Malmo is located on the Oresund, opposite the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
French military spokesperson Guillaume Vernet said that the drone was detected on Wednesday and handled by Swedish forces integrated into a security system around the carrier. He said Friday that the drone was more than 10 kilometers from the Charles de Gaulle.
“This system showed it is robust, and this event had no impact on the activity of the aircraft carrier battle group,” Vernet said.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson told public broadcaster SVT Thursday evening that the suspected violation of Swedish airspace by a drone happened in connection with a Russian military ship being in Swedish territorial waters. Asked what country he thinks the drone belongs to, he replied: “Probably Russia.”
The Russian ship continued into the Baltic Sea, and Swedish authorities have been in close contact with Denmark about the incident, Jonson said. The armed forces said no further drones were observed.
Western officials say Russia is masterminding a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe. An Associated Press database has documented well over 100 incidents.
Not all incidents are public and it can sometimes take officials months to establish a link to Moscow. While officials say the campaign — waged since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — aims to deprive Kyiv of support, they believe Moscow is also trying to identify Europe’s weak spots and suck up law enforcement resources.
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