Russia-Linked Drones Targeted European Nuclear Bases in 18-Month Campaign, Declined After 2026 Seizures

According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Russian intelligence orchestrated a coordinated drone surveillance campaign across NATO countries and Ireland from late 2024 through 2026, encompassing 144 incidents. The campaign targeted military and nuclear facilities including RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and France's nuclear submarine base at Île Longue in Brittany.

Researchers identified tankers linked to Russia's shadow fleet—including the Seasons 1 operating in the North Sea near Essex and the Hav Dolphin docked in Hull—as suspected launch platforms. Despite the frequency of incursions peaking in September and November 2025, Western militaries failed to intercept any drones. The number of reported incidents declined after European naval forces began seizing shadow fleet vessels in 2026.