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French Military Vows Action After Strava Run Exposes Charles de Gaulle’s Location

Le Monde’s satellite analysis confirmed the carrier northwest of Cyprus to illustrate persistent OPSEC risks from fitness apps.

Overview

  • A young sailor recorded a roughly 7‑kilometre, 35–36 minute deck run on March 13 with a smartwatch and uploaded it to a public Strava profile.
  • The workout data revealed the carrier’s near‑real‑time position northwest of Cyprus, about 100 kilometres from the Turkish coast, effectively exposing the task group’s location.
  • France’s Armed Forces General Staff said the post violated digital security rules and stated that appropriate measures will be taken by the command.
  • Le Monde found at least one other crew member publicly sharing geolocated activities and images from a deployed French naval vessel, pointing to a wider compliance problem.
  • The deployment to the eastern Mediterranean was ordered on March 3 during Iran‑related tensions, and while the presence was public, precise positions are treated as sensitive; no direct operational harm from the leak has been reported.