CIA warns of possible Russian drone attacks on NATO nations

The potential operation would reportedly involve Russian Gerbera drones concealed in shipping containers aboard merchant vessels and launched from the Mediterranean.

By World Israel News Staff

The CIA has warned Spain, France and Italy that Russia may be preparing an unprecedented drone operation against one or more of the three European countries, according to a report published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

US intelligence reportedly shared a detailed assessment with several European governments following CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow last month, warning of a potential Russian operation involving drones launched from merchant ships in the Mediterranean.

According to sources familiar with the intelligence cited by El Mundo, the governments of Spain, France and Italy were informed that Moscow was preparing for the possibility of conducting a drone operation against one or more of their countries.

Several defense analysts told the newspaper that they were aware of a CIA report circulated among European governments that included a detailed description of how such an attack could be carried out. French authorities were said to have treated the intelligence with considerable seriousness.

Neither the CIA nor the governments of Spain, France or Italy have publicly confirmed the reported warning.

The potential operation would reportedly involve Russian Gerbera drones concealed in shipping containers aboard merchant vessels and launched from the Mediterranean, allowing the aircraft to approach European targets without first crossing the continent’s eastern borders.

A merchant vessel could carry several of the relatively small drones, while launching them would require less infrastructure than launching larger Shahed-type attack drones.

The Gerbera is approximately two meters long, has a wingspan of roughly 2.5 meters and can travel at around 160 kilometers per hour, with a reported maximum range of approximately 600 kilometers.

If launched from a vessel between 200 and 300 kilometers off the European coast, a drone could potentially reach its target in roughly 75 minutes to two hours.

The Gerbera was originally developed as a relatively inexpensive decoy designed to resemble the Iranian-designed Shahed drones widely used by Russia against Ukraine, but versions carrying explosive payloads have also been recovered.

The reported warning comes amid mounting concern across Europe over Russian drone activity and other suspected hybrid operations targeting NATO countries.

El Mundo linked the intelligence to Ratcliffe’s previously unannounced visit to Moscow on August 25. The CIA chief met senior Russian intelligence officials during the trip, although he did not meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters subsequently confirmed that Ratcliffe had recently traveled to Moscow for talks with senior Russian intelligence officials.

The Spanish report also connected the warning to heightened concern in France. President Emmanuel Macron convened his Defense Council on September 16 and two days later called political party leaders and prospective 2027 presidential candidates to the Élysée Palace for security discussions.

The reported intelligence does not establish that an attack will take place, and no specific targets in Spain, France or Italy have been publicly identified.

However, the warning comes as European security officials increasingly voice concern over Russian drones, sabotage and other potential operations beyond Ukraine. Intelligence officials from several European countries have recently warned that Moscow could seek to test NATO through provocations or hybrid attacks while avoiding a conventional military confrontation with the alliance.