CIA warns European governments of possible Russian drone operation against Spain, France or Italy
The CIA has alerted European governments to a possible Russian operation using Gerbera-type drones launched from civilian vessels in international waters against Spain, France or Italy. The warning was shared after CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow in late August and against the backdrop of election campaigns in all three target countries.
Key points
- CIA warned the governments of Spain, France, and Italy about a possible Russian drone operation against one of these countries
- Drones could be launched from civilian ships in international waters, complicating attribution
- The likely drone type is the Gerbera: about 2 m long, 2.5 m wingspan, up to 18 kg, speed around 160 km/h, claimed range 600 km
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow on 25 August on a US military aircraft that stopped in Riga, reportedly to warn Russia against any attack or provocation against NATO
- Germany attributes a recent incident with armed drones at Leipzig airport to Russian intelligence; a year ago 19 drones without warheads entered Polish airspace
- France, Italy, and Spain will hold election campaigns and elections in 2026; analysts say the possible attacks aim to weaken support for Ukraine and create splits within NATO
- Macron convened a Defence Council on 16 September and two days later invited leaders of all parties and declared 2027 presidential candidates to the Élysée Palace
Why it matters
The reported intelligence points to a real risk of Russian strikes on NATO and EU member states, with launches from international waters making such operations harder to identify and attribute. Targeting three European countries heading into election campaigns could be aimed at fracturing NATO cohesion and weakening support for Ukraine. The warning follows earlier drone incidents in Poland and Germany and Ratcliffe's trip to Moscow, indicating that US intelligence is actively sharing its assessment with European partners.
What happened
US intelligence services gathered information on Kremlin plans for escalation and shared it with several European governments. The CIA warned Spain, France, and Italy that Russia was preparing a possible drone operation against one of them, with drones likely to be launched from containers on civilian ships in international waters. According to Lithuanian authorities, the drones in question are of the Gerbera type. CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow on 25 August aboard a US military aircraft that stopped in Riga; the Wall Street Journal and Politico reported that the purpose of the trip was to warn Russia against any attack or provocation against NATO. After Ratcliffe's visit, European governments received a detailed report. Several defence analysts confirmed they were aware of the report sent to European foreign ministries. In France, President Emmanuel Macron convened a Defence Council on 16 September, and two days later summoned to the Élysée Palace the leaders of all parties and declared candidates for the 2027 presidential election. Lithuania and other countries received data on the preparation of possible drone attacks. Germany's authorities attribute a recent incident with armed drones at Leipzig airport to Russian intelligence.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The two source articles are Ukrainian outlets that frame the story primarily through the lens of a Russian threat to NATO and EU countries, emphasising the role of the CIA and Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow. Ukrainian coverage stresses the possible destabilisation of European support for Ukraine and cites recent drone incidents in Poland and Germany as confirmation that the threat is realistic.
Background
The Gerbera drone is about 2 metres long, has a 2.5-metre wingspan, weighs up to 18 kilograms, flies at roughly 160 km/h and has a claimed range of 600 kilometres. Because of its small payload it cannot destroy a large object, but it can cause a fire, damage exposed equipment or temporarily close a port or airport. A year ago, 19 drones without warheads entered Polish airspace, while Germany has attributed a recent incident with armed drones at Leipzig airport to Russia. France, Spain and Italy will hold election campaigns and elections in 2026, creating a vulnerable political context. In France, candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon previously linked the growing Russian threat in Europe to "long-range attacks" by Ukraine on Russian territory — an illustration of the domestic political backdrop around the threat.