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France’s Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the aircraft was targeted as it monitored vessels during a NATO observation mission off Sweden,
ADVERTISEMENTA French aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea was targeted by Russian intimidation on Wednesday, the country’s Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Thursday morning. Lecornu said the maritime patrol aircraft was on a routine “surveillance flight” as part of a NATO response mission off Sweden when it was illuminated with “the fire control radar of an S400 ground/air defence system.”NATO in December said it would bolster its presence in the Baltic Sea as a result of the damage of several undersea internet cables and a power cable.In his statement, the minister labelled the “aggressive action” as “unacceptable”, adding that France would “continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces.” Russia has not yet responded to the allegations. Baltic States are on high alert after a number of incidents have sparked fears of Russian sabotage in the region. This week, the alliance’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced a new mission including frigates, maritime patrol aircrafts and a fleet of naval drones that would provide “enhanced surveillance” in the Baltic Sea. “Across the alliance, we have seen elements of a campaign to destabilise our societies through cyberattacks, assassination attempts and sabotage, including possible sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea,” Rutte said. The warning from Lecornu comes days after Polish prime minister Donald Tusk announced Warsaw had been involved in countering Russian “acts of sabotage”, which included “acts of terrorism in the air.” According to Tusk, Russia had been plotting a wave of fire bomb attacks that could have brought down planes mid-flight around the world.
