Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Economic Times
The Economic Times

Drone incidents near UK military sites rise sharply: media

London: British military sites were targeted by drones more than 300 times over the past year, according to figures published Saturday by UK media.

The Independent newspaper said 340 security incidents involving drones were recorded over or near British defence sites in the 12 months to August 2026.

That compared with 250 incidents in 2025 and 126 the previous year.

Also Read: India expresses concern over drone attack on Makkah, calls for West Asia peace and stability

Britain's defence ministry did not disclose who was behind the drone activity, but the figures come as European countries warn of an increase in suspected Russian hybrid operations on their territory.

In a statement to AFP, armed forces minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the government was "taking the threat posed by hostile drones to Defence sites extremely seriously".

She said the increase partly reflected improved monitoring and reporting following the creation in February of restricted airspace zones over 44 strategic military sites.

"The UK and its allies remain vigilant against potential threats and adversaries should be in no doubt about this Government's resolve to stand against aggression towards the UK and our allies," a ministry spokesperson added.

The figures were published a day after Russia summoned the UK's charge d'affaires over what Moscow called an "escalation" in arms supplies to Ukraine.

Russia warned that any British military facilities in Ukraine used to launch strikes on Russian territory would be considered "legitimate targets".

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.