Russia25 September, 20263 min read
Macron Says Russia’s Mobilization Up To 300,000 Men Is Credible, Warns of Drone Attack
Macron said a Russian mobilization of up to 300,000 troops is credible. He warned Moscow could launch drone attacks against Europe and France.
57 outlets told this the same way.
Macron flags new mobilization
Emmanuel Macron said a new Russian mobilization for the war in Ukraine is “credible,” and he described “a scenario that seems credible to us” involving “around 300,000 men.” Macron told TF1 and France 2 that Moscow’s signal was that “We are ready to make even greater sacrifices to take all of the Donbas,” and he linked the warning to the idea that Europe is “the strategic depth of Ukraine.” Macron also said France could face an explosive-laden drone attack similar to the one German authorities attributed to Russia at Leipzig airport, and he answered “yes” when asked “Can this happen?”
Macron denied a report that the CIA warned French services, saying “We can deny this information; the CIA did not send this warning,” and he added that the Italian defence minister said the same thing. The El Mundo report that Macron rejected described a CIA warning to European governments about possible drone attacks from the Mediterranean, and it said the Russians would use drones launched from the sea concealed in containers.
CIA warning dispute widens
El Mundo said France launched steps to protect critical infrastructure against Russia’s “hybrid war,” and Interior Minister Laurent Núñez told BFMTV that “We are talking about a threat that is real and well documented.” Núñez said operators had reinforced patrols and were in contact with intelligence services, and he added that France had not yet been flown over by Russian drones. Emmanuel Macron denied the CIA alert rumor in a joint interview with TF1 and France 2, and he said “We can deny this piece of information, the CIA did not inform France of this information and the Italian defence minister said the same thing”.
Guido Crosetto denied the allegations on X, saying “the alarm raised this morning by a Spanish newspaper that hypothesises possible attacks on Italy, Spain, and France by Russian ships and drones serves no one and is not confirmed.” The dispute centered on El Mundo’s claim that the CIA warned Spain, France, and Italy about Gerbera-type drones launched from the sea, while Macron and Crosetto said the warning was not confirmed.
What France plans next
France’s government moved to prepare a plan to protect against drone threats and cyberattacks, and El Mundo said Interior Minister Laurent Núñez gathered all prefects to announce the preparation. El Mundo described a focus on the most sensitive sites of industrial and technological defense, as well as vital facilities for energy, telecommunications, transport, and water supply. Macron also pledged to send “military assets” to protect the Yanbu site, and he said the deployment would include “troops, radar systems, and defensive systems” to safeguard the location “but we will not be engaging in any conflict.”
Jean-Luc Mélenchon opposed the plan and said “Sending troops to Saudi Arabia means entering a theatre of war,” adding “There’s no question of becoming a belligerent party,” if the base is attacked. Macron framed the broader stakes as Europe becoming a target as it supports Kyiv, and he said “As Europeans help the Ukrainians, Europe can become a target,” while warning that “there have been several indications” of a new Russian mobilization up to 300,000 soldiers.