Russia Reportedly Plans to Launch Drones at NATO From Civilian Ships in the Mediterranean – El Mundo

Russia is reportedly preparing to use civilian ships to secretly transport and launch drones from the Mediterranean Sea against NATO countries.

According to El Mundo, Russia is considering using civilian vessels to carry small attack drones to designated launch areas.

The drones could be transported in standard shipping containers and then launched directly from the vessels.

One of the drone types reportedly being considered is the Russian-made Gerbera.

Launching drones from the sea would give Russia another way to strike targets located far beyond its own territory.

Potential targets could include military facilities, airfields, energy infrastructure, and other critical sites.

The governments of Spain, France, and Italy have reportedly received warnings from the CIA about the possibility of attacks launched from the sea.

According to the publication, such attacks could take place during elections scheduled to be held in the three countries in 2027.

Keir Giles, an analyst at the UK Defence Academy, says that the primary objective of an operation involving Gerbera drones launched from a commercial vessel may not necessarily be to cause large-scale destruction.

Russia has been actively using Gerbera drones to fly over NATO territory. Their wreckage has been found repeatedly in Poland and Lithuania, and NATO aircraft have also intercepted them.

Militarnyi previously reported that an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle resembling a Russian Gerbera drone had been discovered at a lignite mine near the settlement of Gałczyce in Greater Poland Voivodeship.