Jennifer Griffin reports on Russia's shadow fleet launching a drone campaign across Europe to surveil military sites and test NATO's air defenses. The International Institute for Strategic Studies report reveals 144 suspected drones near sensitive sites in Germany, France, and the UK.
As NATO allies prepare to meet in Turkey, at the top of their agenda will be drone warfare and Russia's testing of the NATO alliance.
Using its shadow fleet of old sanction-busting ships, Russia appears to have launched drones at European military bases and airports to test the reaction time of NATO allies and their air defenses, according to a new report published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, or IISS.
Between August 2024 and February 2026, 144 suspected drones were recorded near sensitive military and nuclear sites in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Denmark, and over American air bases in the UK in November 2024.
French navy diverts suspected russian shadow fleet tanker to Marseille-Fos port. (Manon Cruz/Reuters)
"There's no doubt in my mind that the Russians are using the shadow fleet vessels as a platform to get different types of drones in closer to various European countries," said Ret. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who served as the commanding general of US Army Europe until 2018.
In Germany there were more than 1,000 suspicious drone sightings in 2025, over German defense companies and military bases where Ukrainian soldiers were training in Germany.
"Whoever is doing it is testing the reaction of the authorities, is testing how the public will respond, will they panic, will they blame their politicians and the authorities," asked Elisabeth Braw of the Atlantic Council. "Also they are testing perhaps to see how we as European countries or how European countries might react in a real crisis there."
This spate of unmanned aerial vehicles occur
