Researchers from the International Institute for Strategic Studies concluded that Russian intelligence likely coordinated a large-scale drone surveillance campaign across Europe.The report says some drones were likely launched from vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet and were used to monitor strategic sites, including RAF Lakenheath and France's Île Longue naval base. Drone activity peaked in late 2025 before declining after European authorities began seizing suspected shadow fleet vessels in 2026.
Report Links Russia to Europe Drone Flights
European researchers concluded that Vladimir Putin shadow tanker drones were likely used in a coordinated surveillance campaign targeting military and nuclear facilities in Europe over an 18-month period.
According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), it is believed that Russian intelligence orchestrated 144 drone-related incidents in more than a dozen NATO countries and Ireland beginning in late 2024. Researchers said the campaign was carried out with "substantial impunity." I also exposed weaknesses in European air defenses as authorities repeatedly failed to intercept or capture the unmanned aircraft.
Among the sites believed to have been targeted were RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, which was being prepared to host US nuclear weapons, and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. France's nuclear submarine base at Île Longue in Brittany was also identified as one of the locations where suspicious drone activity was recorded.
RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk
The report suggests that some of the drones may have been launched from vessels linked to Russia's so-called shadow fleet. Investigators identified the tanker Seasons 1, which was operating in the North Sea near Essex, and the cargo ship Hav Dolphin, which was docked in Hull during several of the reported incidents, as possible launch platforms. The Hav Dolphin was later also suspected of involvement in drone sightings over a submarine base in northern Germany.
(Source: The Guardian)
Charlie Edwards, a senior fellow at the IISS and one of the report's authors, said the evidence strongly indicates that the Kremlin conducted a coordinated unmanned aerial vehicle campaign in Europe. He described the operation as a series of tactical successes for Russia, and shed some light on what he called a strategic failure by allied defenses that are primarily designed to counter conventional military threats rather than small, inexpensive drones flying at low altitude.
Researchers believe the objectives of the campaign extended beyond just simple intelligence gathering. Potential motivations include monitoring nuclear facilities, conducting military reconnaissance, mapping logistics and supply chains, and carrying out psychological operations that are designed to create uncertainty.
Although many European governments stopped short of publicly accusing Russia of orchestrating the incidents, Edwards said officials privately acknowledged the seriousness of the findings. According to him, governments consulted during the research welcomed the publication of the report despite their reluctance to make formal public accusations.
The analysis found that drone sightings peaked during September and November of 2025, with Germany recording the highest number of incidents. Despite the frequency of the incursions, Western militaries reportedly failed to shoot down or seize any of the drones involved.
The number of reported incidents declined since European naval forces began seizing vessels associated with Russia's shadow fleet during 2026.
