IISS Report Alleges Russian Drone Campaign Targeted NATO Sites

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) reported that Russia conducted a coordinated drone surveillance campaign across 13 European countries between August 2024 and February 2026. The report documents 144 incidents where drones, likely Orlan-10 reconnaissance models, targeted sensitive military and nuclear facilities to probe NATO air defenses and gather intelligence on logistics hubs supporting Ukraine. Researchers allege the Russian military intelligence agency (GRU) utilized a shadow fleet of sanctions-evading tankers—specifically naming vessels such as the HAV Dolphin, Seasons I, and Zhigulevsk—as launch platforms.

Targets included U.S. air bases in the United Kingdom, such as RAF Lakenheath and RAF Fairford, as well as nuclear-capable bases in Belgium and the Netherlands and France's Île Longue submarine base. In Germany, over 1,000 suspicious sightings were recorded in 2025. Disruptions also extended to civilian infrastructure, with drone incursions forcing the temporary closure of airports in Denmark, Spain, and Germany. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen characterized the events as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date.

While the Swedish military directly attributed one launch to the vessel Zhigulevsk, most European governments avoided formal attribution. The IISS described the campaign as a strategic failure of allied defenses, which are optimized for supersonic threats rather than slow-flying drones launched from international waters. In response to these vulnerabilities, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a £15 billion Defence Investment Plan. President Vladimir Putin has denied that Russia is waging a sabotage campaign against Europe.