Russia ‘waged war campaign’ against UK and Europe with lots of of drones | News World

Russia launched lots of of drones and covert UAVs across Britain and Europe from their shadow fleet in preparation for a future conflict.

The International Institute of Strategic Studies has issued a sobering report wherein they found Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet ships sent drones into Britain and Europe, targeting airports, bases and nuclear sites.

Among the many sites affected by the spy drones were RAF Fairford, Feltwell, Lakenheath and Mildenhall, and dozens of websites across continental Europe.

‘We assess it is probably going that Russian-linked vessels and the ‘shadow fleet’ were used as launch or recovery platforms for UAVs as a part of the Kremlin’s wider unconventional war on Europe,’ they warned.

Since 2024, mystery drone sightings have plagued airports, military bases and civilian areas as Russia increasingly tests the bounds of its spyware.

‘The Kremlin was likely in a position to map response times, coverage gaps and limitations across European integrated air defences,’ the IISS added.

The drones spied on critical infrastructure as well, to prompt a ‘decisive opening operation in high-intensity conflict’, the report warned.

Chatham House Russia expert Keir Giles told Metro that the report’s findings aren’t surprising.

‘The shadow fleet has been pinpointed before because the likely source for a few of these drones. Russia finds out what is feasible, however it also learns the victim country’s willingness to reply,’ he explained.

‘That’s useful information in the event that they’re pushing the boundaries further or deciding what they might get away with by way of preparation for an overt attack before they really launch it.’

A scarcity of response from the countries being probed by these drones only ‘encourages’ Russia to proceed this warfare, he added.

The countries being targeted by Russian aggression should be reassured by their governments that they’ll deter and defend against a possible attack, he said.

‘Unfortunately, in the mean time, neither of those things is true. So whatever is going on behind the scenes just isn’t making it to the general public consciousness, and that can only heighten the impression that Russia is being allowed to perform these actions, which in so some ways are indistinguishable from acts of war, without suffering any consequences in any respect.’

For years, leading experts within the UK have been warning that Russia is already ‘at war’ with the UK.

Cyber threats, mysterious drone incursions and more have been attributed to foreign actors. In late 2024, it was reported that a ‘record variety of incidents’ impacted the UK’s ‘critical’ drinking water supplies in 2024 – without being officially disclosed, based on Recorded Future News.  

Between August 2023 and March 2024 alone, 46,000 flights in areas reminiscent of the Baltic, Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean logged interference issues – believed to be attributable to Russian interference.

In early 2023, MP Oliver Dowden revealed the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued an ‘official threat notice’ to those that operate critical national infrastructure, citing an ’emerging risk posed by state-aligned adversaries’ in consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war.

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