Russia Blasts EU’s Reaction Over Drone Incursions as ‘Hysteria’

(MENAFN) A senior Russian diplomat has accused the European Union of manufacturing "hysteria" around unidentified drones detected over its territory, claiming the panic is a pretext to boost military spending, according to media on Saturday.

Vladislav Maslennikov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for European Affairs, told media that the EU is leveraging these drone sightings to push public support for higher defense budgets, doing so at the expense of social and economic stability. He said the EU’s strategy undermines living standards to justify increased military outlays.

Maslennikov’s comments follow reports of multiple unidentified drones observed near Danish airports and military installations, as well as in northern Germany, adjacent to Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the drone incidents at Copenhagen Airport a "serious attack" on vital infrastructure.

Earlier, Vladimir Chizhov, first deputy chair of Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, told Russian media that “Russia has no need to demonstrate its strength by dispatching drones to EU countries.”

Maslennikov also highlighted that the EU remains divided on the specifics of a proposed "drone wall"—a network of technical defenses aimed at detecting and neutralizing unauthorized drones at the bloc’s borders.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo confirmed on Friday that preparations for the "drone wall" are underway. According to a statement from the Finnish government, EU leaders will further deliberate the plan during an informal European Council summit next week.

MENAFN28092025000045017169ID1110120171