Unauthorised drone flights over Britain’s nuclear facilities and military bases are occurring almost three times a week, as tensions between the UK and Russia continue to intensify.
The number of unmanned aircraft detected above critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites since January has already surpassed the combined total recorded during the previous two years.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) told The Mail on Sunday that 100 drone sightings involving nuclear facilities or nuclear-related assets, including submarines, were logged between January and August this year.
That compares with 69 incidents across the whole of 2025 and 47 in 2024. The figure was considerably lower in earlier years, with only 18 cases reported in 2020.
Professor Anthony Glees, a security specialist at the University of Buckingham, said it was ‘common sense’ to suspect Russian involvement in the increase.
He said the most likely purpose of the surveillance was to collect intelligence that could assist an enemy preparing an attack on the UK — a move that could signal the beginning of a wider European conflict involving Nato.
Although Professor Glees identified Russia as the principal suspected actor, he said China and Iran might also be participating to assess how effectively Britain could protect itself.
The latest figures emerge months after a report alleged that Moscow had been conducting surveillance of Britain’s nuclear weapons capability.
Faslane nuclear base in Scotland, home to the UK’s fleet of nuclear submarines
The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) said drones had been flown over Lakenheath and Mildenhall in Suffolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk during a four-day period in 2024.
The aircraft were reportedly launched from the Russian intelligence vessel HAV Dolphin, which had been spotted off the Humberside coast at the time.
The incidents prompted the deployment of specialist British military personnel to the affected bases, with orders to track and intercept the suspected Russian drones.
Professor Glees said that, although some operations may originate from ships, there are also concerns that Russia and Iran could be relying on ‘human agents’ inside the UK to launch drones.
He said those recruits could include British citizens paid to betray their country, adding that there was no reason to believe they were ideologically committed to Vladimir Putin’s government.
The 100 incidents linked specifically to nuclear sites form part of a wider total of 340 drone-related security events recorded at or close to UK Ministry of Defence locations in the 12 months to August 2026.
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Military leaders have declined to provide a breakdown by site or asset, including the number of incidents linked to Scotland. The country is home to Faslane naval base, where Britain’s nuclear deterrent is based. Officials said releasing those details could create a national security threat.
Charlie Edwards, a security expert at the IISS, said when the organisation published its report that Russia had repeatedly shown it could enter the airspace of Nato countries, including areas around nuclear installations, without provoking a united military response.
He warned that the contrast between Russia’s operational capability and the political reluctance to respond represented a growing strategic weakness.
The criticism comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces pressure over proposals to invite Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Manchester. Ministers reportedly do not expect the Russian leader to attend personally, amid concerns that British courts could enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant linked to alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Opponents said allowing a senior Russian delegation to visit Britain would suggest that relations with Moscow were being restored and could provide the Kremlin with a valuable propaganda victory.
Russia is known to use a variety of drones in its surveillance operations
A UK Government spokesman said Russian participation in G20 meetings is ‘regrettable’ but added that it is a matter for member states who represents them at summits.
Last month, it emerged Mr Burnham was warned that Britain faces Russian retaliation over its support for Ukraine.
Security experts have told the PM to be prepared for a ‘direct response’ from Putin.
Discussing what steps the UK should take to counter the threat, Professor Glees said: ‘Andy Burnham should say, loud and clear, that from now on, any Russian ship launching drones to overfly sensitive UK military and defence industry sites will be destroyed.’
He suggested tactics such as anti-drone nets, which Russia is using over its refineries, could also be used as well as jamming them electronically.
He added: ‘We are facing a real and present national security threat and it is time Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stopped talking nice. He needs to call these incursions out for what they are, hostile spy operations, and act hard and fast to stop them.’
An MOD spokesperson said: ‘We take the rising threat posed by hostile drones extremely seriously.
‘We are committing £790 million to strengthen protection from drone and missile threats and have established new restricted airspace areas over 44 critical defence sites, extending to over 160 further sites in the autumn.’
