The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) reported on July 2 that these drone flights were identified from August 2024 to February 2026 across 13 European countries and Ireland.
The drones were detected near military bases, nuclear facilities, and around airports. The IISS suggested that many of these drones likely launched from Russian-linked vessels in nearby waters, which are suspected to be part of a “shadow fleet” used to evade sanctions on Russian oil.
According to The Guardian, drones were also spotted near the Royal Air Force's Lakeheath and Fairford bases in the UK, as well as near the French Ile Longue submarine base. Some vessels reportedly turned off their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) while lingering in waters surrounding these facilities.
The report posited that Russia may have been testing the response speed of European air defense systems and the vulnerabilities of critical facilities, going beyond mere reconnaissance.
Despite the repeated flights of suspected Russian drones over major European sites, there have been no confirmed instances of them being captured or shot down. European nations have also shown caution in publicly attributing these activities to Russia.
The IISS pointed out that these incidents have exposed weaknesses in NATO's defense systems, which are primarily designed to counter traditional threats like fighter jets and missiles, revealing limitations in responding to low-cost, small drones.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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