Report: CIA warned European nations of Russian drone attack plot from Mediterranean vessels

VIENNA — The CIA has warned European countries of a suspected Russian plot to launch Gerbera-type drones from aboard commercial vessels in the Mediterranean, according to a new report.

Major Spanish daily El Mundo published the article, based on testimony from an anonymous Lithuanian intelligence source, late Wednesday local time.

Key Details

• The CIA assessed that Spain, France, or Italy may be the targets of these attacks.
• Drones would launch from international waters in the Mediterranean and travel to coastal countries over the course of one to two hours.
• The Gerbera drone was selected for its small size — a wingspan of just 2.5 meters — allowing it to be concealed easily.
• The drones have a maximum range of 600 kilometers, depending on load and environmental conditions.
• They carry a relatively small warhead, effective at starting fires, destroying exposed infrastructure, or causing political and economic turmoil.
• Drones were to be transported hidden in containers — described as "not difficult at all" — before being catapult-launched for attack missions on Western Mediterranean NATO members.

Intelligence Timeline

Lithuania and other European countries were reportedly made aware of this threat shortly after the CIA director made an unannounced and secretive visit to Moscow aboard a U.S. military plane on Aug. 25.

According to El Mundo, a key CIA report was rumored to be circulating in European leadership circles in mid-September, coinciding with:

• French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to convene the Defense Council on Sept. 16
• Macron summoning all party leaders and 2027 presidential candidates to the Élysée Palace two days later

The El Mundo report has not been independently corroborated.

Broader Context of Russian Activity

The perceived threat of Russian kinetic action has increased significantly across European capitals this year, due to heightened sabotage and hybrid warfare activity generally attributed to Moscow.

• Airspace violations by Russian drones along NATO's eastern flank have become increasingly commonplace, leading to several instances of alliance fighter jets shooting down intruding unmanned aerial vehicles.
• A year ago, 19 unarmed Russian drones entered Polish airspace — the largest airspace violation to date — widely assessed as a deliberate provocation and test of NATO's response.
• The prospect of launching from Russian merchant ships has long been suspected, with coastal sightings of unidentified UAVs sometimes coinciding with the presence of Russian "shadow fleet" ships.
• In February 2026, a Swedish Navy vessel detected and jammed a drone taking off from a Russian intelligence ship in the Öresund Strait, coinciding with a visit of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to Sweden.
• In early August, an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft, and a separate plane collided with a drone mid-air at Germany's Leipzig airport, a key freight hub. After a month-long investigation, German authorities officially attributed the attack to Russia.

Recent Developments

On Sept. 19, the major pro-Russian Telegram channel Rybar published a map titled "Russian medicine against French arrogance," suggesting supplying Algeria with Geran-5 drones to strike French aeronautical factories, military bases, nuclear plants, and petrochemical sites, El Mundo reported.

Even non-NATO, landlocked European countries are taking note. The Austrian military has launched a "large exercise" to practice counter-drone measures and air defense, Austrian public media reported on Thursday. The drill will involve 300 soldiers across several townships in eastern Austria, as well as Mistral ground-to-air missiles, 35-millimeter cannons, and electronic warfare measures.

About the Author

Linus Höller is Defense News' Europe correspondent and OSINT investigator. He reports on the arms deals, sanctions, and geopolitics shaping Europe and the world. He holds master's degrees in WMD nonproliferation, terrorism studies, and international relations, and works in four languages: English, German, Russian, and Spanish.