Dossier
shadow ships
Coverage of shadow ships in the Nexus archive.
dronestopic2NATOorganization2Russiaorganization1Europeplace1civilian aviationtopic1military sitestopic1Russiaplace1International Institute of Strategic Studiesorganization1Germanyplace1Franceplace1Belgiumplace1Netherlandsplace1United Kingdomplace1Denmarkplace1Mette Frederiksenperson1John Stringerperson1Vladimir Putinperson1
- Russia waged a drone campaign in Europe and likely launched drones from shadow ships, report says
Russia used shadow ships to launch drones in Europe, disrupting civilian aviation and monitoring military sites while testing NATO's air defenses.
- Russia waged a drone campaign in Europe and likely launched drones from shadow ships, report says
Russia likely used shadow ships to launch drones over Europe, disrupting civilian aviation and testing NATO air defenses between 2024 and 2026. A report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) documented 144 suspected drone sightings across multiple NATO countries, with incidents peaking in late 2025 and causing airport closures. The campaign aimed to avoid triggering a collective NATO response, exposing weaknesses in European air defense systems.