Lucrezia Ciotti The alarm over alleged Russian drone attacks against Italy , France, and Spain has sparked political debate, but the government has denied it. Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto have ruled out any confirmation of the threat at this time, urging against further fueling tensions.
Russian drone alert in Europe, Tajani: "These reports are baseless."
The possibility of Russian drone attacks against several European countries, including Italy, France, and Spain, has been denied by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani . As reported by Ansa , responding to questions about the alarm raised by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo , the minister said he had spoken to the Minister of Defense: " I spoke with Minister Crosetto this morning, these reports are unfounded . "
Tajani clarified that there have been no reports of a possible Russian attack against Europe: " We have never had any reports of this kind . " However, the minister distinguished this possibility from hybrid warfare activities , which he stated would include cybersecurity measures and attempts to influence elections in European countries.
Tajani also observed that a possible direct attack on NATO and Europe would represent, in his opinion, a seriously wrong choice for Moscow.
Russia and drones in Europe, Crosetto: "No one needs more fuel on the fire."
Guido Crosetto also downplayed the alarm in a post on social media. The Defense Minister explained that the rumors of possible Russian operations against Italy, France, and Spain " are completely unconfirmed , " emphasizing the lack of official information indicating an imminent threat. " We already live in difficult and 'nervous' times, and no one needs more fuel on the fire , " Crosetto wrote.
Furthermore, according to qualified sources cited by ANSA, the alarm is still " unclear, " and, at this time, no alert has been received by Italian security and intelligence agencies. El Mundo had reported alleged Russian plans for new attacks with drones launched from the sea and hidden inside shipping containers, indicating Mediterranean countries as possible targets. The reconstruction, attributed by the newspaper to information gathered by the CIA and shared with several European governments, has prompted calls for clarification from the opposition.
Democratic Party Senator Filippo Sensi called for the issue to be addressed in Parliament, while MP Lia Quartapelle urged the government to explain the risks to Italy and possible preventative measures. Carlo Calenda 's intervention was of a different tone , linking the possibility of an attack to a broader Russian strategy against Europe and NATO. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini , on the other hand, called the dissemination of information that, in his opinion, was unfounded irresponsible, calling for " calm, composure, and words of peace . "