US intelligence warned Europe of possible Russian drone attacks launched from ships - El Mundo
US intelligence has warned several European governments that Russia may be preparing a drone operation targeting southern Europe, potentially launching Gerbera drones concealed aboard commercial vessels, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported.
US intelligence has shared information with several European governments about a possible Russian operation involving drones launched from commercial vessels in the Mediterranean, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
A source close to Lithuania’s Defense Ministry told the newspaper that the drones could be concealed in shipping containers and launched at sea.
According to El Mundo, Spain, France and Italy were among the countries warned about a possible operation targeting one of them. Several defense analysts interviewed by the newspaper said they were aware of a CIA report describing the potential attack that had circulated among European governments.
The operation could involve Gerbera drones, relatively small Russian-made UAVs with a reported maximum range of around 600 kilometers, depending on their payload and other conditions.
Launched from a commercial vessel 200 to 300 kilometers from shore, such drones could reach land in roughly 75 minutes to two hours. Their relatively small payload would be insufficient to destroy a large facility but could cause fires, damage exposed equipment or temporarily disrupt operations at an airport or port.
A Lithuanian source compared the potential operation to Ukraine’s “Spiderweb” attack, in which Ukrainian drones concealed in trucks were launched near Russian air bases and struck strategic aircraft.
El Mundo noted that Russia has previously experimented with launching drones from vessels. Russian drone manufacturer ZALA demonstrated launches from a moving boat in 2020 and resumed experiments from a maritime platform in 2024, according to the newspaper.
The report comes amid heightened concern in Europe over suspected Russian sabotage and drone activity.
El Mundo said the potential operation could be intended to cause political and economic disruption in addition to physical damage. Spain, France and Italy are all due to hold elections in 2027, although the newspaper presented their domestic political circumstances as analysis rather than as a stated finding of the US intelligence assessment.