Unexplained drone incidents over Europe raise questions
A series of drone overflights over European territory is puzzling authorities as to who is behind them. Security agencies and analysts are searching for clues about who is responsible for the incursions.
The Economist explores the question of who is behind a series of drone overflights across Europe that are worrying authorities and security experts. Such incursions over sensitive infrastructure and military installations feed fears of targeted reconnaissance, sabotage or hybrid warfare. An obvious suspicion points to Russian actors, who in the context of the war in Ukraine would have an interest in testing European responsiveness and sowing uncertainty. At the same time, experts warn against hastily naming culprits without solid evidence, since other state and non-state actors also come into consideration. The Economist's analysis remains deliberately cautious in attribution and makes the thin evidence transparent. The episode points to a growing grey zone in which drones blur the line between provocation, espionage and open aggression.