International-News

Milan: espionage file opened after Russian drone sighting over Lake Maggiore

National security investigation after suspicious passages over the European research centre in Ispra

The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation for aggravated political or military espionage with the purpose of terrorism, after the repeated overflight of a Russian drone over Lake Maggiore, in particular over the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, in the province of Varese. The drone reportedly flew over the area several times in March, raising concerns for national security, given that strategic factories such as those of Leonardo, a leader in the aerospace and defence sector, are also located nearby.

The anti-terrorism pool, with the support of the Ros, met in the Public Prosecutor’s Office to analyse the available elements and plan investigations, considering the potential seriousness of the incident. The alarm was triggered after the heads of the European Joint Research Centre intercepted the aircraft thanks to an experimental detection system, recording at least five in-flight passages.

The drone, probably Russian-made, could be equipped with advanced cameras and three-dimensional mapping tools, capable of performing detailed surveys even at night. Although the aircraft has not reappeared, its presence has raised serious concerns.

In parallel, Italian authorities are investigating possible links with an investigation launched in November, which involved two entrepreneurs from Brianza accused of collaborating with Russian intelligence to map video surveillance systems in the cities of Rome and Milan in exchange for payments in cryptocurrency. The Public Prosecutor’s Office does not rule out that the Ispra case may be linked to this line of investigation.

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