Putin’s ‘Ghost Fleet’ Conducting Covert Spy Operations Across European Airspace

A damning report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has exposed a year-and-a-half long Russian aerial espionage campaign across European skies. Moscow has been launching drones from merchant vessels operating in international waters with their transponders deliberately switched off, conducting surveillance missions that have evaded NATO detection. The report reveals that British Royal Air Force bases, French nuclear submarine facilities, and critical infrastructure in the Netherlands and Belgium have all been targeted by the covert operations. What makes the situation particularly embarrassing for NATO is that not a single drone has been successfully intercepted during this sustained campaign. The Russian vessels, dubbed a ‘ghost fleet’ by analysts, have been able to operate with apparent impunity while gathering intelligence on some of Europe’s most sensitive military installations. Against this backdrop, the US has reportedly warned Poland that Russia is planning provocative actions on its territory, with the possibility of military invasion also being considered as part of Moscow’s strategic calculations in the region. The disclosure highlights significant gaps in European air defence capabilities and raises serious questions about NATO’s ability to detect and respond to unconventional aerial threats operating at the continent’s periphery.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.