In the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, it cannot be ruled out that German military bases and defense firms have been spied on by drones, the Bavarian State Office for Criminal Investigation said.
The latest incident occurred late Sunday when a drone was spotted over a military base near Manching, police said, referring to the vast facility where German forces are testing new manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The drones were seen over the base near Manching for three days in December, the statement said. Another unauthorized overflight took place the same month over a military installation in Neuburg on the Danube.
Germany’s federal police, the Bundeskriminalamt, warned companies in December that Russian saboteurs could be among their employees and contractors. Russia has rejected such accusations.
Investigators pointed to a series of unauthorized drone overflights of locations including military facilities, LNG and oil terminals, seaports and logistics firms as examples of suspected sabotage by Russian state actors in recent months.
German foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl said last month that Russian sabotage against Western targets could eventually prompt NATO to consider invoking the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause.
According to the article, if a NATO member is attacked, the other members of the alliance are obliged to help it respond.
(Vijesti.ba / HINA)
