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IISS: Kremlin likely ran an Aug. 2024–Feb. 2026 drone campaign over Europe using shadow-fleet ships

A new International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) assessment says a drone campaign attributed to the Kremlin likely operated over Europe between August 2024 and February 2026. The report also argues Russian-linked vessels and the shadow fleet likely acted as launch and recovery platforms.

Discovered 2026-07-02T07:29:07.844530-07:00 | 2026-07-02T07:29:07.844530-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • If confirmed, the use of Russian-linked “shadow fleet” vessels as launch/recovery platforms shows how drone operations are being integrated with maritime enablers—raising monitoring and risk assumptions for European airspace and defense stakeholders.
  • The timeframe (Aug. 2024–Feb. 2026) points to sustained campaign behavior, which affects how planners size counter-UAS requirements and allocate ISR resources across regions.
  • For aerospace and defense companies, the findings reinforce demand for end-to-end detection, tracking, and attribution capabilities spanning both air and maritime domains, not just the drone itself.

Reported By

AeroTime
Sources Tracked
1
First Seen
2026-07-02T07:29:07.844530-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-02T07:29:07.844530-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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