From the paywalled article….

”UK and US officials have been investigating Kremlin involvement in the sightings at the air bases – where the US Air Force houses state-of-the art aircraft and defence technology. It shows why concerns are growing within Nato over how Vladimir Putin may be emboldened by Donald Trump’s aggressive stance towards Ukraine in peace negotiations. Senior MPs have now demanded the authorities examine the new evidence after a major investigation using open source information uncovered the suspect visits. One of the three individuals was just metres from the perimeter of RAF Mildenhall on a day when drones were flown over. The evidence is based on a database of open-source location data, provided to this newspaper by a former intelligence official who monitors hostile state cyber threat movements.”

“The investigation reveals: An individual, who over the last year has regularly been present in the Russian Embassy in Germany, flew into Britain in early May and was just metres from the perimeter of RAF Mildenhall during the November drone incursions; In May, another individual arrived in the UK who had also been present at Russia’s largest military facility in Tajikistan in February 2024. They visited remote areas surrounding RAF Mildenhall on several occasions before returning to the Russian military base within two months of the drone sightings; and A third person, known to have access to a facility belonging to Russia’s main intelligence agency (GRU) in Moscow during 2023, flew into London Stansted in August last year. They then visited areas around RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall throughout September and October before flying back to Russia, via Turkey, where they spent time in a military district on the outskirts of Moscow.”

“A senior former British military intelligence official who has reviewed the database seen by this newspaper said it suggested significant Russian “grey area activity”. This is a term for espionage operations launched when two countries are neither at peace or direct war. The intelligence official questioned what the UK was doing to monitor and protect sensitive defence sites. “On initial reflection this is not a surprise, this kind of activity has been prevalent in the UK and Europe for years,” they said. “The real question is where else this activity is occurring, which sensitive areas in HMG’s [Government] operations are under the same threat to external grey area activity.”