RUSSIAN SHADOW FLEET LAUNCHED DRONES AT RAF BASES, REPORT SAYS
Drones spotted over four RAF bases in England in 2024 were likely launched from a Russian shadow fleet tanker sailing near the UK, according to a report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies think tank published on Thursday. The unmanned aerial platforms targeted RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk. The think tank plotted 144 suspected drone sightings across Europe between 2024 and 2026, including over NATO members Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Denmark. Sightings peaked in late 2025 and forced temporary closure of several European airports.
The IISS said the Russian campaign appeared designed to remain below the threshold that would trigger a collective NATO response and represented a strategic failure for European air defence capabilities. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen characterised incidents in Denmark as the "most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date." Air Chief Marshal John Stringer, NATO's deputy supreme allied commander in Europe, stated that alliance members must decide individually how to respond to such threats. Several senior European officials noted difficulty in attributing the drone incursions to Russia, though the activity aligns with patterns of disruption Western officials have linked to Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Drones present significant detection challenges because they fly low and slowly, appearing on radar similarly to birds or aircraft. They can be launched from inside or near national borders, circumventing missile defences designed to intercept supersonic missiles fired from abroad. Sweden is the only NATO member to have directly blamed Russia for drone activity, specifically when a military drone approached a French aircraft carrier from a Russian spy ship. President Vladimir Putin stated in May that Russia is not conducting a sabotage campaign against Europe.