Medvedev states the goal of "drone attacks" on airports and strategic sites in Europe

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, has said the appearance of unidentified drones over airports and strategic sites in Europe is a "way to scare Europeans with war", but did not directly acknowledge Russia's involvement.

Medvedev claimed that the drones above Europe are designed to "intimidate it with the threat of war". He framed his statement so that it does not imply Russian responsibility for the incidents, presenting it instead as one of several "possible explanations".

"Reasons for this panic around 'Russian drones' could be any of the above or a combination. But the main point is not that. The main point is for short-sighted Europeans to feel on their own skin what the threat of war is. To be scared and tremble like stunned animals in a herd being driven to slaughter.

Perhaps then they will understand what war is and tear the heads off their degenerates like Merz and Macron who make money and political points on blood," Medvedev wrote on Telegram.

Medvedev is widely regarded as a "mouthpiece" for eccentric statements that senior Russian officials avoid making publicly but that broadly reflect the views and moods of Russia's leadership.

In recent weeks, unidentified drones have appeared twice near airports and strategic sites in Denmark, over a German port, near a military base in Belgium, and twice disrupted operations in Munich airport. Heightened vigilance has led to a surge in false alarms.

Europe has not directly accused Russia of the incidents but many officials have suggested Moscow could be behind them.

Russia's foreign ministry responded rudely to a statement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggesting that Russia might be behind the recent series of drone incidents.