A campaign of drone launches over Europe from 2024 to 2026 was carried out using vessels from Russia’s “shadow fleet,” according to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, cited by Bloomberg. The report’s authors said sanctioned tankers likely helped Moscow map weak points in European air defense systems.
“It is highly likely that the Kremlin conducted a UAV campaign over Europe. We assess it is likely that Russian-linked vessels and the ‘shadow fleet’ were used as launch/recovery platforms for UAVs as part of the Kremlin’s wider unconventional war on Europe,” the report said.
IISS researchers studied 144 drone incursions into the airspace of 12 NATO countries and Ireland from August 2024 to February 2026. Some incidents forced airports to suspend operations, and on others drones flew over sites housing U.S. nuclear bombs, along with a base for French ballistic missile submarines. About half of the incidents involved military facilities. The report concluded that the campaign was aimed at testing air defense systems that are designed for combating missiles and aircraft but which are less effective at detecting low-flying, small targets.
Most European countries have avoided directly linking the incidents to Russia. However, the report’s authors insist the connection is clear.
Charlie Edwards, a co-author of the report, told journalists, “We think it is likely that Russia-linked vessels and their shadow fleet were used as maritime launch or recovery or a signal relay platforms.”
Edwards added that significantly less activity had been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea, likely due to the presence of more reliable maritime surveillance systems there, including from U.S. submarines. Louis Byrne, another co-author of the report, said drone sightings virtually stopped once European countries began inspecting and detaining “shadow fleet” vessels. The report described Europe’s response as “uneven” and “fragmented,” with slow attribution and often disproportionate responses, such as using expensive fighter jets against cheap drones.
The UK Ministry of Defense said it takes the protection of military bases seriously. France said it could not confirm the report’s findings, while the Netherlands said it had already taken measures to address the threat.
