Report: Russia Probably Employed Shadow Fleet to Initiate Drone Campaign Throughout Europe
A think tank reports that suspected Russian drone operations have revealed vulnerabilities in NATO air defenses and have caused disruptions to civilian aviation throughout Europe.
According to a new report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Russia is believed to have utilized its so-called shadow fleet to deploy drones across Europe in a covert operation designed to assess NATO air defenses, surveil military installations, and interfere with civilian aviation.
The report noted 144 suspected drone sightings throughout Europe from 2024 to 2026, with incidents documented in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. The sightings reached their highest point in late 2025, leading to the temporary closure of multiple airports in Germany, Spain, and Denmark.
The report indicated that Russia probably utilized shadow fleet vessels as launch platforms for the drones, concluding that “it’s highly likely that Russia is using them as platforms for launching drones.”
As stated by the IISS, the campaign aimed to stay beneath the threshold that would provoke collective NATO action while simultaneously revealing vulnerabilities in Europe’s air-defense systems.
The report characterized the operation as a “strategic failure” for Europe, revealing that the continent’s air defenses are inadequate to address the current threat.
While numerous European officials have recognized the challenges in definitively linking the drone incursions to Russia, NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Air Chief Marshal John Stringer, noted that these incidents align with a wider trend of disruptive actions observed throughout Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Stringer stated that it is the responsibility of each alliance member to determine their response to such threats, noting that many countries are treating the issue with growing seriousness.
The report connected various incidents to vessels from the Russian shadow fleet, including the Vezhen, which reportedly sailed in circles off the coast of Ireland during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit in December 2025, while another vessel in the vicinity had turned off its tracking signal.
The IISS also highlighted suspected drone activity near Denmark involving the vessel Boracay, with French President Emmanuel Macron previously stating he could not dismiss the ship’s potential involvement in drone flights over Denmark.
The report indicated that Russia aimed to collect intelligence on critical NATO military facilities, which encompassed US air bases in Britain; defense sites in Germany; military installations in Belgium and the Netherlands thought to house American nuclear weapons; as well as France’s Ile Longue submarine base.
Sweden’s military representative to NATO, Lt. Gen. Jonny Lindfors, stated, “It’s a reasonable assumption” that Russia is launching drones from shadow fleet ships, while recognizing that attribution remains “almost impossible.”
The report called on European countries to swiftly enhance their counter-drone capabilities, cautioning that the ongoing incursions revealed significant weaknesses in the continent’s air-defense network. “It would be simplistic to assume it’s merely a coincidence that such threats have become a regular occurrence.”
