Reports say unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were spotted flying near several RAF installations in the UK after being launched from a Russian-linked “shadow fleet” tanker sailing close to the country. According to the accounts citing a report, drones targeted bases including RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk. The incidents are described as occurring over a four-day period in 2024, with the drones repeatedly approaching or operating in the vicinity of these sites.
The reporting attributes the launch location to the tanker associated with Russia’s shadow fleet, which is described as operating to support sanctions-evading or non-standard fuel shipments. The sources do not provide further operational details in the excerpted material, such as whether the drones caused damage or how UK forces responded. They also do not specify the type of UAVs, the exact number deployed, or confirmation of responsibility beyond the report’s conclusions regarding the launch vessel.
