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Russia Used 'Shadow Fleet' for Drone Campaign Over Europe, UK Think Tank Says
🇱🇻 Latvia /Elections & Politics

Russia Used 'Shadow Fleet' for Drone Campaign Over Europe, UK Think Tank Says

From Delfi Latvia · () Latvian

Translated from Latvian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Documents & data Context piece
  • Russia likely used its "shadow fleet" of oil tankers to launch drones over Europe, according to a UK think tank.
  • The drones may have been used to disrupt civilian aviation, test NATO air defenses, and observe military sites.
  • This tactic suggests a coordinated, covert campaign by Russia operating below the threshold of conventional warfare.

Russia has likely employed its "shadow fleet" of oil tankers in a covert campaign to launch drones over Europe, a new analysis from Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) suggests. This sophisticated operation appears designed to probe NATO's air defenses and gather intelligence on military installations.

The IISS report indicates that these "shadow fleet" vessels, often used to circumvent sanctions and obscure shipping activities, may have been repurposed for drone deployment. The drones were potentially used to disrupt civilian air traffic, test the responsiveness and capabilities of European air defense systems, and conduct surveillance of sensitive military targets.

This tactic represents a calculated effort by Russia to exert influence and gather intelligence in a manner that falls below the threshold of direct military confrontation. By utilizing disguised commercial vessels for covert drone operations, Moscow appears to be exploring new avenues for hybrid warfare and strategic disruption within Europe.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi Latvia in Latvian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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