Researchers from the European Nuclear Society are sounding the alarm about the activities of Russian tankers. They were joined by experts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, who published a report on
According to the research materials, Russia probably used tankers from its «shadow fleet» as platforms for launching, receiving and relaying signals from reconnaissance drones over Europe
According to the report, from August 2024 to February 2026, researchers recorded 144 drone incursions into the airspace of 12 NATO countries and Ireland. The Russian Federation conducted reconnaissance of European nuclear facilities using drones for 18 months. In particular, UAVs were recorded over nuclear power plants
Experts emphasize the danger of such practices for the safety of nuclear facilities. They fear that this is preparation for possible sabotage and terrorist attacks. The result of such actions could be nuclear contamination of most of the European continent.
At the same time, the researchers note that when European countries began searching and detaining «shadow fleet» vessels in early 2026, the number of incidents with drones practically disappeared. Therefore, the authors call for an intensified fight against tankers transporting sanctioned oil, in particular by increasing the number of inspections and detentions.
