Russia's Secret Drone Missions: European Nuclear Sites Under Surveillance for 18 Months!
Russia's Secret Drone Missions: European Nuclear Sites Under Surveillance for 18 Months!
New research reveals Russia conducted extensive drone surveillance over European nuclear sites for 18 months, including UK bases. Experts warn of 'substantial impunity' and exposed gaps in NATO air defenses. Dive into th
A new report from the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) has revealed a disturbing and sustained surveillance campaign by Russia, targeting nuclear sites across Europe. For an 18-month period, Moscow is believed to have orchestrated drone missions, demonstrating what researchers describe as “substantial impunity” over more than a dozen countries, including the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
The analysis, which investigated 144 incidents starting in late 2024, concluded that Russian intelligence operated with alarming ease, catching authorities across Europe off guard. Drones were repeatedly sighted over sensitive locations like airbases and airports, yet none were captured or shot down by Western militaries. This highlights a significant strategic vulnerability in NATO’s air defenses, a weakness that the think tank suggests has been quietly acknowledged across the continent.
Among the high-profile targets identified were RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, a UK base that was undergoing preparations to house US nuclear weapons, and France’s crucial nuclear submarine base at Île Longue in Brittany. These sites, vital for national security, were subjected to surveillance by unarmed drones believed to have been launched from shadow fleet vessels at sea.
While European governments have generally been hesitant to publicly attribute these incidents directly to Russia, Charlie Edwards, a senior IISS fellow, noted that “every government we spoke to said they would welcome the report being published,” indicating an underlying concern. The incidents included low-flying drones observed at RAF Lakenheath, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and at least two other US air force bases in England in late November 2024, just months before US nuclear weapons were deployed at Lakenheath in July 2025. Some drone operations are suspected to have been piloted from vessels like the ‘Seasons 1’ tanker, positioned in the North Sea near Essex.
