At least seven drones were spotted near Switzerland’s Gösgen nuclear power plant, sparking a large police response.
The mystery drones were spotted around 10.30pm yesterday and reported by a resident.
The safety of the power plant was not compromised during the incident, with the head of communications for the plant saying the threat posed by drones was ‘negligible’.
As is usually the case around power plants, a no-fly zone is in place around Gösgen.
It remains unclear who was behind the drones above the nuclear power plant this week.
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Earlier this month, it was revealed that Russia launched hundreds of drones and covert UAVs across the UK and Europe from their shadow fleet, thought to be in preparation for a future conflict.
The International Institute of Strategic Studies issued a sobering report that found Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet ships had sent drones to target airports, bases, and nuclear sites.
Among the sites affected by the spy drones were RAF Fairford, Feltwell, Lakenheath and Mildenhall, and dozens of sites across continental Europe.
‘We assess it is likely that Russian-linked vessels and the “shadow fleet” were used as launch or recovery platforms for UAVs as part of the Kremlin’s wider unconventional war on Europe,’ they warned.
Since 2024, mystery drone sightings have plagued airports, military bases and civilian areas as Russia increasingly tests the limits of its spyware.
‘The Kremlin was likely able to map reaction times, coverage gaps and limitations across European integrated air defences,’ the IISS added.
The drones spied on critical infrastructure as well, to prompt a ‘decisive opening operation in high-intensity conflict’, the report warned.
Cyber threats, mysterious drone incursions and other incidents have all been attributed to foreign actors.
In late 2024, it was reported that a ‘record number of incidents’ impacted the UK’s ‘critical’ drinking water supplies in 2024 – without being officially disclosed, according to Recorded Future News.
Between August 2023 and March 2024 alone, 46,000 flights in areas such as the Baltic, Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean logged interference issues – believed to be due to Russian interference.
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