Russia accuses France and Finland of political and military interference

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has issued several accusations against European nations regarding their involvement in regional conflicts and domestic politics.

Addressing France, Zakharova dismissed allegations of Russian interference in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. She accused French authorities of using a perceived ‘Russian threat’ to influence the political landscape and bolster specific candidates. This follows claims by the French agency VIGINUM that pro-Russian networks, such as Matryoshka and Storm-1516, targeted political figures including Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe.

Separately, Zakharova accused Finland of complicity in ‘international terrorism’ due to its cooperation with Ukraine on drone production. This statement follows an announcement by President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding agreements between Finnish and Ukrainian companies to develop and manufacture drones in Finland for use by Ukraine and Europe.