CIA Warns 3 NATO States of 600km Russian Drone Plot From Mediterranean Ships

3 articles · Updated · Defense News · Sep 24

Spain, France and Italy were identified in a reported CIA warning as possible targets of Gerbera drone attacks launched from commercial vessels in international Mediterranean waters.
El Mundo said the 2.5-meter drones could be hidden in containers, catapult-launched from ships and fly for one to two hours, carrying warheads suited to fires and exposed infrastructure damage.
The report, based on an anonymous Lithuanian intelligence source and not independently corroborated, said European governments were alerted after CIA Director William Burns made a secret Aug. 25 trip to Moscow.
Russian drone incursions and suspected sabotage have already intensified across Europe this year, including a drone incident at Leipzig airport that Germany later attributed to Russia.
Austria has now launched a 300-soldier counter-drone and air-defense exercise, underscoring how the threat is widening beyond Mediterranean and frontline NATO states.