European nations are unprepared for Russian drone attacks and cannot attribute blame, according to a study by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. The German Hanns Seidel Foundation also participated in the research.
The study found that European states were unable to clearly assign responsibility to Russia for drone flights over airports or sensitive military installations. It stated that the Kremlin likely conducted a drone campaign over Europe.
Researchers said current anti-drone architecture in Europe does not meet the threat, despite attention from NATO, the European Union, and national governments. They noted that detection is uneven, judicial authorities are fragmented, response options are often disproportionate, and attribution remains too slow to support timely deterrence.
Failure to link European incidents
No government has publicly attributed an unmanned aerial vehicle overflight to Russia so far. European officials told researchers that governments focused on national responses instead of connecting separate incidents across Europe to see the broader picture.
Klaus Holetschek, chairman of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, said the situation was worrying and that Europe remained unprepared for this hybrid threat. The study analyzed 144 cases between August 2024 and February 2026 across 12 NATO member states and Ireland.
