
IISS Report: Russia Likely Using Shadow Fleet to Launch Drone Operations Against Europe
A new report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) assesses that Russia's Kremlin most likely conducted systematic drone operations against Europe between August 2024 and February 2026, using Russia-linked vessels and shadow fleet ships as launch and recovery platforms. The campaign spanned 144 incidents across 13 European countries, repeatedly forcing major airports to close, while Europe's existing counter-drone framework is assessed as inadequate to address the threat.
Source: AeroTime Defense










