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    El Mundo: ‘Rusia ready to launch drone attacks from the sea against Italy, France and Spain’
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    El Mundo: ‘Rusia ready to launch drone attacks from the sea against Italy, France and Spain’


    El Mundo: ‘Rusia ready to launch drone attacks from the sea against Italy, France and Spain’

    https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/the-world-russia-ready-to-launch-drone-attacks-at-sea-against-italia-france-and-spain-AJcaWCNB

    Posted by Massimo25ore

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    30 Comments

    1. Massimo25ore on

      Russia is preparing for new drone attacks in Europe, but this time it will target Mediterranean countries: France, Spain and Italy.

      This is according to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, which reports that the US intelligence services have gathered information on the Kremlin’s plans for escalation and shared it with several European governments.

      “They will use drones launched from the sea, concealed in containers; it’s not at all difficult,” explains a source close to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence. The Lithuanian authorities are aware of the type of drone the Russians might use against Spain, France or Italy.

      It is believed to be a Gerbera: approximately two metres long, with a wingspan of 2.5 metres, weighing up to 18 kilograms, capable of reaching speeds of around 160 kilometres per hour and with a claimed range of 600 kilometres. A merchant ship can carry several of these drones, which are launched with far less difficulty than a Shahed or a Geran.

      From a distance of 200 or 300 kilometres from the coast, the flight would take around one hour and fifteen minutes or two hours, depending on the actual speed. Its small explosive payload (4–5 kg) is not sufficient to destroy a large structure, but it can start a fire, damage exposed equipment or temporarily close a port or airport.

      According to the map published by El Mundo, the whole of Italy – with the exception of the north-east – is within the range. Lithuania, like other countries, was made aware of this information shortly after the mysterious trip to Moscow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe on 25 August.

      According to sources familiar with the alert, the governments of Spain, France and Italy were also informed that Russia was preparing a possible drone operation against one of these countries. Spain, France and Italy, writes *El Mundo*, “will have election campaigns and elections in 2027 and are home to radical forces capable of exploiting fear and disillusionment regarding Ukraine. Particularly in France and Italy, there are links or positions clearly aligned with the Kremlin’s interests”

    4. SmugCapybara on

      Why? Seriously, why? France is turning more and more to Russian collaborators, all they have to do is leave it alone and they have a good chance of just flipping France. Conducting drone strikes on them would only cause the French to turn against anyone even slightly connected to Russia. It would be a massive own goal.

      Spain has been pussyfooting about the whole Ukraine support thing, as well as rearmament, with the (often unsaid) argument being that it’s not and will not be their problem. If you demonstrate to the Spanish that war can reach them regardless of the distance, all you will do is push Spain into more support for rearmament.

      Italy I can kinda see as a target, as Italy has been supporting Ukraine pretty consistently. But again, it would have mixed results at best.

      Russians are not that stupid, at least when it comes to intelligence work and undermining other countries.

    6. slimvim on

      Didn’t they just say a few days ago they pose no threat to Europe? They can’t keep their lies straight.

    7. Llew19 on

      I get that these drones are smaller, but how does this differ from a submarine launching a bunch of cruise missiles at the countries’ coasts? This isn’t an escalation so much as just a direct declaration of war

    8. designbydesign on

      Honestly, good. That means less drones for overloaded Ukrainian defenses and valuable experience for European soldiers.

      I hope no one gets hurt.

    12. hmmm_ on

      I don’t doubt that Russia are up to something, but drones like these are not exactly deniable or can be spun as “accidental”.

    15. The_Giant_Lizard on

      I’m italian, I live in France and I go often to Spain (which I love). I’m screwed, I can’t run anywhere safe in my countries 😬

    18. Any-Original-6113 on

      Russia is taking a very rash step, if this is true. 

      On the other hand, the CIA may be deliberately spreading false information (after all, they can always say later that it was an unconfirmed rumor) in order to further set Russia and the EU against each other (it’s in the Americans’ interest for there to be no trade between Russia and the EU on the European subcontinent).

    19. TwoThinCoats69 on

      “source close to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence” – thats how news cite “trust me bro” sources

    21. Futuroptimist on

      After a dozen sabotage attacks, terrorist strikes, airplane bombings, drone incursions nothing happens. Oh wait some Boris Vladulusov gets sanctioned. His wife, 2 sons and friends don’t’cos we are more concerned about looking law following than actual results.
      Why would Putin stop? We still buy their gas, their oil, shit can be purchased through Kazahstan at worst case.

      24Oct – the OSINT community flags 15 potential vessels with strike drones.
      27 Oct – 4 ships with transponders off launch over 200 strike drones against coastal installations. Mostly airfields, oil facilities and gas loading infrastructure. 8 of them gets shot down. The last ship that was off 30 minutes with their salvo gave enough time to react.
      NATO emergency meeting to figure out the source of the attack. 3 days later they confirm it was russian using heavily sanctioned components.
      30 Oct – special forces board the only ship they managed to trace back. The rest has changed country and owner 6 times.
      5 Nov – assessing the 6-10 billion euro damages the EU decides to pen a letter…

    22. utlt_mrcl on

      Yea whatever, fucking hearing it for few years already. Because of this articles I started to hope that they finally attack other eu country, so we can get over with this war. Fuck putin and Russia

    23. Ohrder on

      Basically putin: “fuck, Nato doesn’t react to our constant drone incursions in baltics and we’re running out of money fast – this war can’t go on any longer, we need nato to intervene faster so I can claim we lost because of ‘Nato aggression’, not because I made a shit decision invading Ukraine then I can remain in power”

    25. I-am-Pilgrim on

      Russia has been exposed as being militarily weaker than everyone thought. Corruption and incompetence for several decades will do that to a country’s military. They need to project strength now more than ever to maintain the appearance that they are a power to be feared. Their nukes are the only reason they haven’t been sorted long ago.

    26. JerachoD on

      I mean, yeah they could but does Russia really think it would last long if it attacks Italy, France or Spain? It would be wiped out financially and militarily. I mean yeah they could use nukes I guess but then that’s end of world stuff