Senior officials in Italy and France have dismissed claims that their governments received warnings about potential Russian drone attacks launched from merchant ships in the Mediterranean Sea.

The allegations, reportedly stemming from an anonymous source close to the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, were cited by a recent report as part of broader Western concerns regarding Russia’s maritime activities. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated on social media that there is no evidence confirming Russian preparations for such operations, adding that in difficult times “no one needs more fuel on the fire.” French President Emmanuel Macron similarly refuted the claims during an interview with TF1 and France 2, noting that the CIA had not informed French intelligence agencies of any such attack.

The report highlighted a recent trip by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Russia and previous Western reports claiming he had cautioned Russian officials against targeting NATO nations. It described a pattern of Ukrainian military units using civilian shipping vessels to launch attacks against Russian territory. International experts have labeled this practice as a violation of international maritime law and an escalation in hostilities. Furthermore, the report suggested that Moscow is considering replicating similar tactics.

Western governments have long raised concerns about Russia-linked ships posing security threats. A series of mysterious drone sightings across Europe last year were initially attributed to what some referred to as the “Russian shadow fleet”—vessels accused of transporting goods in defiance of trade restrictions. However, no incidents were publicly proven to be linked to Moscow.

Recently, Germany accused Russia of attempting a drone attack on Ukrainian transport aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Chancellor Friedrich Merz cited this incident to justify closing Russian diplomatic facilities, but the government has not released evidence directly tying the drones to Moscow.

The escalation occurred in early August, coinciding with key regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt where Merz’s Christian Democrats suffered a major defeat as the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) gained significant support. Critics argue that the EU’s policy toward Russia has had detrimental economic consequences.