More than 300 drone incursions on British military sites in one year

British military sites have been targeted by drones more than 300 times over the last 12 months, according to data published on Saturday by the newspaper The Independent, against a backdrop of escalating tensions with Russia.

According to figures obtained by the daily, 340 security incidents were detected involving drones, on or near British Ministry of Defense sites in the United Kingdom in the 12 months to August 2026.

By 2025, 250 incidents had been recorded, almost double the 126 recorded the previous year.

The Ministry of Defense did not provide information on the origin of these drones, but these incidents come at a time when European countries are denouncing the increase in Russian hybrid attacks on their territory.

In a statement sent to AFP, Secretary of State for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones assured that the government “takes very seriously the threat posed by hostile drones on Ministry of Defense sites”.

According to her, the increase in incidents observed “reflects the considerable progress made in vigilance and reporting”, with the creation last February of new restricted airspace zones above 44 strategic military sites in the United Kingdom. 160 additional sites will be affected in the fall.

“The United Kingdom and its allies remain vigilant in the face of potential threats, and our adversaries must have no doubt about the government’s determination to confront any aggression against the United Kingdom and its allies,” a ministry spokesperson also responded.

These figures are published as Russia summoned the UK's acting charge d'affaires on Friday to protest against London's continued "increase in its deliveries of drones and other weapons systems" to Ukraine, Russian diplomacy said in a statement.

Moscow has warned that British military installations in Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” if they were used to support long-range strikes against Russia.