Suspicious Russian drone on Lake Maggiore: Milan public prosecutor’s office investigates for espionage

Alleged unauthorised flights in the Ispra no-fly zone. The suspect is a Russian-made drone spotted near the Joint Research Centre and Leonardo factories

The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into possible unauthorised drone flights in the Ispra area on Lake Maggiore, a no-fly zone of about five square kilometres that hosts sensitive facilities. Reports, received at the end of March from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, indicate the alleged presence of a Russian-made drone.

The affected area is of crucial security importance, including the European research centre, the facilities of Leonardo – a leading aerospace and defence company – and test tracks for advanced technologies.

The investigation: drones detected only on low frequencies

Investigators are waiting for data from Enav and the Air Force to verify whether the drone was intercepted by radar. For now, the only signal detected is on low frequencies, without a clear image of the device.

At the same time, investigators are trying to trace the possible perpetrator of the flight, hypothesising a link with pro-Russian circles. The search also extends to the web and Telegram channels where pro-Putin propaganda is active.

The crime hypothesis: espionage and terrorist aims

The investigation is framed under Article 257 of the Criminal Code, which regulates political or military espionage. The charge could be aggravated by terrorist intent, if the suspected activities pose a real risk to national security.

The authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the extent of the threat and identify possible perpetrators, while the alert is growing on possible hostile intelligence actions on Italian territory.

THE LATEST NEWS

[recent_post_slider design=”design-07″ show_author=”false” slider_height=”390″ lazyload=”progressive” limit=”6″ category=”11728″]

(Photo: © AndKronos)