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According to United24 Media, a new IISS report suggests Russia may have used vessels from its shadow fleet to support drone operations over sensitive military and nuclear sites across Europe. Researchers believe the activity was intended to identify weaknesses in NATO air defense systems.
Russia may have used tankers from its so-called shadow fleet to support drone operations over sensitive military and nuclear facilities across Europe, according to United24 Media, citing a new report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The report concludes the suspected campaign was likely aimed at identifying weaknesses in European air defense systems.
Drone activity
According to United24 Media, the IISS examined 144 drone incursions into the airspace of 12 NATO countries and Ireland between August 2024 and February 2026.
Germany, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands were among the countries most affected. Around half of the incidents involved military facilities, including bases hosting U.S. nuclear weapons and a French ballistic missile submarine base.
The researchers said the activity appeared designed to test and map European air defense capabilities.
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Shadow fleet role
United24 Media reported that the IISS considers it likely that Russia-linked vessels and members of the shadow fleet were used to launch or recover drones or serve as communications relay platforms.
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“We consider it likely that Russia-linked vessels and its shadow fleet were used as maritime platforms for launching or recovering drones, or as signal relay nodes,” report co-author Charlie Edwards said.
While several governments continue to investigate the incidents, European authorities have largely avoided publicly attributing the activity to Russia.
Air defense concerns
According to United24 Media, the report says European air defense systems remain better suited to countering missiles and combat aircraft than small, slow-moving drones.
The authors described Europe’s response as “uneven” and “fragmented,” arguing that attribution has often been slow and available response measures have been limited.
The report also noted that suspected drone activity has declined since inspections of vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet were intensified earlier this year.
Sources: United24 Media, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
