Italy's defence minister has said a report that US intelligence had warned European governments of a possible Russian drone attack launched from ships in the Mediterranean has not been confirmed.
The report, published by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, said Spain, France and Italy had reportedly been warned that Russia was preparing a possible drone operation against one of them.
El Mundo linked the reported warning to CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow on 25 August, while the CIA has not publicly confirmed the report.
According to the report, defence analysts were already discussing the alleged CIA assessment, while an anonymous source close to Lithuania's Defence Ministry said Russia could use drones launched from the sea and hidden inside a container.
No date or specific target has been made public, and there has been no public confirmation of the alleged operation.
The US has warned southern states of a possible Moscow attack that would see Russia fire 600 km-range drones from commercial ships at Spain, France and Italy. We examine what is known and how the threat is mounting. #EuropeNews
— euronews (@euronews) September 24, 2026
➡️ https://t.co/5zuJRoQ8Vm pic.twitter.com/gO4PI5Sr9n
Why Spain, France and Italy Were Named
The report identified the Gerbera, a Russian drone measuring about two metres, as a possible weapon that could be used in the reported operation.
According to El Mundo, the drone has a range of up to 600 kilometres and could potentially be transported in containers on merchant ships before being launched 200 to 300 kilometres from the coast.
The report said the drone's payload of about four to five kilograms could be used to cause disruption rather than large-scale destruction. It also noted that Spain, France and Italy are all due to hold elections in 2027, while analyst Keir Giles said Moscow would look for 'the weakest point in Europe', naming Spain.
Rome Plays Down the Report
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto responded on X on Thursday morning, saying the alarm raised by 'a Spanish newspaper' served no one and 'finds no confirmation'. He added that Italy was already living through difficult and nervous times and did not need more fuel added to the fire.
Qualified sources said the report was 'all to be verified' and that, for now, no such alert had reached Italy through intelligence, diplomatic or military channels. Deputy Democratic Party leader Lia Quartapelle said the report 'deserves an immediate clarification from the government', while Matteo Salvini urged calm.
French President Emmanuel Macron later denied that France had received such a warning from the CIA. Macron said the CIA had not informed French authorities about the reported operation, while Crosetto had also rejected the claim in Italy.
Brussels Unaware but 'Not Surprised'
The European Commission said it was aware of the media reports but had no knowledge of a specific CIA alert. Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the reports were not a surprise given repeated incidents involving European airspace and what the EU describes as hybrid attacks.
The developments come amid wider concerns about Russian drone activity in Europe.
On 15 September, an Italian NATO fighter shot down a drone that had entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda later saying it was probably a Russian-made Gerbera intended for Ukraine but diverted by Ukrainian electronic warfare.
Non serve a nessuno e non trova alcuna conferma, l’allarme lanciato questa mattina da un quotidiano spagnolo che ipotizza possibili attacchi ad Italia, Spagna e Francia da parte di navi e droni russi.
— Guido Crosetto (@GuidoCrosetto) September 24, 2026
Già viviamo in tempi difficili e “nervosi” e non serve a nessuno ulteriore…
Lithuanian authorities were continuing to analyse the drone's electronics to establish its origin and destination, meaning the identification remained subject to investigation. The incident was nevertheless cited amid wider concerns over suspected Russian drone activity in European airspace.
Those concerns also include an armed-drone attack at Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport, which German authorities have attributed to Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron referred to the incident while discussing what he described as an intensifying Russian hybrid threat against Europe.
The scenario described by El Mundo would extend the potential threat to the Mediterranean, bringing coastal ports and airports within the reported range of a relatively small drone. However, the central claim remains an unconfirmed report, with Italy and France publicly disputing that they received the alleged warning.
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