In recent years, the German armed forces, Bundeswehr, have reported a significant increase in the number of observed drones. Several hundred suspicious overflights have been detected above military targets.
A spokesperson for the Armed Forces Operational Command stated that the number of drones observed has sharply increased after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Since then, the indicator remains high.
For instance, last week the Bundeswehr reported that two drones were spotted over a military base in Mechernich, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. The case is being investigated by the Police.
In most cases, it’s about a single drone, but occasionally swarms of flying devices have been reported, according to Agerpres. Officials in Germany maintain that the European security environment has fundamentally changed in recent years.
Germany is currently facing daily hybrid threats, including disinformation, cyber attacks, espionage and sabotage, according to officials in Berlin.
All of last week, a drone equipped with explosives and a detonator triggered a security alert at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The incident took place near an aircraft carrying ammunition for Ukraine.