France, Italy, and Spain may be at risk of hybrid attacks from Russia, according to reports by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo. The report claims that Moscow is allegedly planning to use drones launched from the Mediterranean Sea, based on information from sources near the Lithuanian Defense Ministry and military analysts. This information reportedly reached Lithuania during the visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow on August 25. The meeting aimed to inform the Russian government that the United States is aware of these plans and to discourage Russia from proceeding with them. According to El Mundo, the attack would involve Gerbera drones, which would be hidden in shipping containers and transported aboard Russian "phantom fleet" ships. These ships would position themselves 200 to 300 kilometers from European coasts before launching the drones. The exact nature of the attack—whether it would be a symbolic flyover to create psychological or economic pressure, or involve explosive devices—remains unclear. However, no official confirmation of the threat has been given, though France appears to have taken the report seriously. On September 18, French President Emmanuel Macron held a meeting with party leaders and presidential candidates at the Élysée Palace to discuss the "rapid degradation" of the international situation. Intelligence heads were also present, and the Élysée Palace mentioned an "intensification of hybrid Russian threats." The connection to John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow adds credibility to the report, as the CIA director reportedly warned Russia against targeting NATO countries. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the visit as unrelated to any Russian attempts to test NATO's resolve, calling it "semi-routine." CIA director visits to Moscow are rare, and this is the first known visit by Ratcliffe since his appointment. The scenario outlined by El Mundo appears more plausible given the rise in drone-related incidents across Europe. Drones have been detected in several countries, including Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states. Germany attributed an attack attempt in early August to Russia, involving drones with explosives near Leipzig Airport. Similar suspicious cases have been reported in Belgium, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Moldova, and Spain. In Denmark, drones were reportedly launched from a ship off the coast, using a method similar to what El Mundo described for Southern Europe. The Gerbera drone, a Russian model capable of flying 600 kilometers, is described as an inexpensive drone assembled from kits provided by Chinese manufacturers in the Ielabouga plant. It has a wingspan of 2.5 meters, weighs up to 18 kilograms, and can reach speeds of 160 km/h. In Ukraine, Russian forces use it primarily as a decoy, launching large numbers to overwhelm air defenses while more advanced explosive-laden drones pass through undetected. Some versions of the Gerbera may carry an explosive charge or a reconnaissance camera. Europeans have encountered the drone, with Warsaw reporting its presence in Polish airspace in September 2025.