German authorities are investigating repeated drone flights over military sites in the state of Bavaria, sparking speculation that the NATO state is a Russian surveillance target.
Newsweek has contacted Bavarian State Police and the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Accusations that Russia sent drones into a NATO country amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine ramps up an already febrile security situation in Europe and could test the resolve of the alliance and the collective response pledge in Article 5 of its charter.
What To Know
On Monday, Bavarian State Police reported that drone flights were spotted over German armed forces (Bundeswehr) sites in Manching and Neuburg an der Donau.
Three drones were reported flying on December 18 over the airfield in Manching, which is used to test the airworthiness of new aircraft ordered for the German military.
Drones were also spotted on December 19 and December 25 over a military security area in Neuburg an der Donau where the German air force's 74th Tactical Air Force Wing monitors southern German airspace with Eurofighter jets.
In the most recent incident on Sunday, authorities detected 10 drones flying over the military security area in Manching, near the city of Ingolstadt. Despite deploying a helicopter, no one responsible could be identified, nor have any definite link with Russia been proved.
The state's police, under the direction of the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office and the Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism, have launched a security investigation and called for witnesses to report suspicious behavior.
However, social media users have criticized what they say is a lack of action from the German government at the prospect of drone flights near sensitive military sites.
In recent months, drones have also been spotted near the U.S. air base in Ramstein in southwestern Germany and over an industrial site at Brunsbüttel by the North Sea, which has a natural gas terminal and several chemical plants.
What People Are Saying
Bavarian State Police said in a statement on Monday: "Since it cannot be ruled out in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine that military facilities and arms partners or companies are being spied on, extensive search measures were carried out to identify the drone pilots."
Jürgen Nauditt, a pro-Ukrainian user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote on Monday: "Is Germany powerless against so many, obviously Russian drones?"
X user Grünfink wrote on Monday: "Entire swarms of drones are spying on Bundeswehr properties. And there are still no (successful) countermeasures."
What Happens Next
Der Spiegel reported that the German government planned to amend its Aviation Security Act this week, given the resistance of drones to jamming transmitters and the spate of the devices being spotted above Germany.
The move would allow Germany's armed forces to shoot down drones, while troops would be allowed to down suspicious devices with a ground-based air defense system. Fighter jets would also be able to destroy them with guided missiles, the publication added.
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