Europe Is Not Ready for Russia's Drone Attacks, Say Experts from a London Institute

European nations are significantly underprepared to counter Russian drone attacks, a stark warning issued by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. The think tank's study, published Sunday, highlights a critical gap between the growing threat of Russian drone campaigns and Europe's current defensive capabilities. Researchers found that European states have largely been unable to definitively attribute specific drone attacks, such as those targeting sensitive military installations or airports, to Russia.

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This report estimates that the Kremlin has likely conducted a campaign targeting Europe using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The IISS report, which analyzed 144 incidents between August 2024 and February 2026 across 12 NATO member states and Ireland, suggests it is "highly probable" that the Kremlin has orchestrated a campaign targeting Europe using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The study's primary conclusion is that Europe's existing drone countermeasure architecture "does not yet match the threat." Despite increased attention from NATO, the European Union, and national governments, significant deficiencies persist.

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Our main conclusion is that Europe's current architecture for countering drone attacks does not yet match the threat, despite NATO, the European Union, and national governments paying more attention to this issue: detection is uneven, legal authorities are divided, response options are often disproportionate, and attribution remains too slow to support timely deterrence.

Key weaknesses identified include uneven detection capabilities, fragmented legal authorities, often disproportionate response options, and attribution processes that are too slow to effectively deter future attacks. European officials, speaking anonymously as part of the research, indicated that governments have tended to focus on national responses rather than establishing a coordinated, Europe-wide link between incidents. This fragmented approach hinders the ability to build a cohesive deterrent.

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One reason suggested by European officials as part of our research is that the relevant governments have focused on national responses rather than linking incidents across Europe.

Klaus Holetschek, president of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, which participated in the study, described the situation as "alarming." He echoed the report's findings, stating that "Europe is not yet sufficiently prepared for this form of hybrid threat." The findings underscore an urgent need for European countries to bolster their defenses and intelligence-sharing mechanisms to effectively address the evolving threat posed by state-sponsored drone operations.

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It is alarming. Europe is not yet sufficiently prepared for this form of hybrid threat.