Report: CIA warned Europe of Russian drone attack from vessels in the Mediterranean

Key Points:

• The CIA has warned European countries of a suspected Russian plot to launch small Gerbera-type drones from commercial vessels in the Mediterranean, potentially targeting Spain, France, or Italy.
• These drones, with a wingspan of 2.5 meters and a range of up to 600 kilometers, could be concealed in shipping containers and used to start fires or disrupt infrastructure, causing political and economic instability.
• The threat alert followed a secretive CIA director visit to Moscow in late August, with European leaders reportedly discussing the intelligence in mid-September amid increased concerns about Russian hybrid warfare tactics.
• Recent incidents, including drone airspace violations along NATO's eastern flank and attacks attributed to Russia in Germany and Ukraine, have heightened European vigilance and prompted military counter-drone exercises in countries like Austria.
• The report, published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo and based on anonymous Lithuanian intelligence sources, has not been independently verified but aligns with ongoing European fears of Russian escalation via covert drone operations.