Europe Ill-Prepared for Russian Drone Attacks, Study Finds

Europe's defenses against drone attacks are inadequate, according to a new investigation by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The report, which examined 144 incidents across 12 NATO countries and Ireland between August 2024 and February 2026, concludes that European states struggle to definitively link such attacks to Russia.

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It is highly probable that the Kremlin has orchestrated an unmanned aircraft operation over Europe.

"It is highly probable that the Kremlin has orchestrated an unmanned aircraft operation over Europe," the report states. A primary finding is that the current European system for countering drones has not kept pace with the threat. Despite increased attention from NATO, the EU, and national governments, measures for detecting these aircraft are inconsistent. Legal authorities operate without coordination, response mechanisms are often disproportionate, and assigning responsibility takes too long to provide timely deterrence.

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Our main conclusion is that the current European counter-unmanned aircraft system is not yet commensurate with the scale of the threat.

The attribution of responsibility presents a major challenge for European governments. None have publicly stated that a detected drone belongs to Russia or is linked to it. European officials cited in the study noted that governments primarily focus on national measures rather than connecting events across Europe. "This is worrying. Europe is not yet sufficiently prepared for this form of hybrid threat," commented Klaus Holetschek, chairman of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, on the report's findings.

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This is worrying. Europe is not yet sufficiently prepared for this form of hybrid threat.