UK Nuclear Sites Hit by Three Drone Incursions a Week Drone incursions over UK nuclear and military sites have reached three a week in 2026, with 100 sightings since January, raising fears of Russian intelligence gathering. Drone incursions over the United Kingdom's military and civilian nuclear sites have surged to an average of three per week in 2026, with 100 sightings reported over nuclear facilities or nuclear objects such as submarines between January and August, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) told The Mail on Sunday. The figure already exceeds the 69 incidents recorded in all of 2025 and the 47 in the previous year. In 2020, only 18 such incidents were logged. The rise comes amid escalating tensions with Russia and growing concerns about the security of Britain's critical infrastructure. Drone Sightings at UK Nuclear SitesThe MOD disclosed that the 100 sightings between January and August 2026 involved drones flying over nuclear facilities or nuclear objects, including submarines. This represents a sharp increase from previous years: 69 incidents in 2025, 47 in 2024, and just 18 in 2020. The nuclear-specific incursions are part of a broader total of 340 security incidents involving drones at or near Ministry of Defence sites across the UK in the year up to August 2026.Military chiefs have refused to reveal how many incidents were recorded over each type of site or object, nor how many related specifically to Scotland, home to the Faslane naval base where Britain's nuclear deterrent is housed. The MOD said providing such details could pose a national security risk.Russia Suspected Behind Drone IncursionsProfessor Anthony Glees, a security expert at the University of Buckingham, said it is common sense to assume Russia is behind the rise. He said the obvious explanation for the increase in drone spying on nuclear facilities is to gain intelligence useful to an enemy planning an attack on the UK, which would be a harbinger of a general war in Europe against NATO. While he believes Russia is the main antagonist, he also said China and Iran could be involved in a bid to determine the UK's ability to defend itself.The scale of incursions follows a report earlier this year claiming Russia was spying on Britain's nuclear weapons. The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) reported that drones targeted the Lakenheath and Mildenhall bases in Suffolk, RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk over four days in 2024. The devices were launched from a Kremlin spy ship, the HAV Dolphin, sighted off the coast of Humberside at the time. Specialist British troops were deployed to the bases to intercept the Russian spy drones.Professor Glees said that while some drones are launched from ships, there are suspicions Russia and Iran are using human agents to launch the devices as well. He said this could even include Brits being paid to betray their own country. He added that they do not think such individuals have any ideological attachment to Putin's regime.Political Fallout and Calls for ActionLaunching the IISS report earlier this year, the think tank's security expert, Charlie Edwards, said Russia has demonstrated repeatedly that it can penetrate the airspace of NATO members, including over nuclear sites, without triggering a collective allied response. He described the gap between capability and political will as a strategic vulnerability.The lack of action in the face of Russia's probes comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces criticism over plans to invite Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Manchester. Ministers do not believe Putin will attend in person for fear that British courts will uphold an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. But critics warned that the presence of a high-level Russian delegation in the UK would send a signal that relations are being normalised, handing a propaganda coup to the Kremlin. 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 Prime Minister 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 that the UK is 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.