BERLIN — The German military is investigating suspected Russian espionage after six drone sightings over an airbase in the northern town of Schwesing, where Ukrainian soldiers are trained on Patriot missile defense systems, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.
Between Jan. 9 and 29, unidentified drones repeatedly entered restricted airspace above the Luftwaffe facility in Schwesing, according to the report. Despite deploying electronic countermeasures, including the HP47 jammer, Bundeswehr forces failed to bring them down or locate their operators, it said.
The German military has now classified the incidents as potential espionage and alerted intelligence services, Süddeutsche said. The newspaper said the Bundeswehr confirmed the drone sightings over Schwesing without confirming further details.
The Schwesing airbase is a high-value target for surveillance due to the Patriot training carried out there. Germany has already delivered multiple Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, which play a crucial role in countering Russian airstrikes.
According to the Munich-based newspaper, military officials believe the drones were technologically advanced and not standard commercial models, raising suspicions of state-backed espionage. Some defense officials believe the newly discovered drones may have been launched from ships in the North Sea or Baltic Sea, Süddeutsche said.
Security officials have observed increased drone activity near military installations. Just weeks earlier, drones were spotted over the U.S. airbase in Ramstein, an installation critical to NATO logistics, prompting the German government to draft a legal amendment allowing the Bundeswehr to shoot down suspicious drones.
The incidents highlight gaps in Germany’s drone defense capabilities. Internal Bundeswehr reports indicate that key counter-drone systems, including the Wingman and RADIS detection tools, failed to respond effectively, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has acknowledged that improving drone defense is a priority but admitted that progress remains slow. In response to the Schwesing incidents, Germany has deployed additional detection and jamming equipment to the base.
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