10/05/2025October 5, 2025
‘Drones have not posed any concrete threat’ so far — Pistorius
Defense Minister has said that the debate surrounding sightings is unprecedented, making it “all the more important to view the situation soberly and calmly. So far, the observed drones have not posed any concrete threat.”
In an interview with the Handelsblatt business newspaper, Pistorius said good progress was being made on but played down expectations that the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, could be made responsible for shooting down drones wherever they appeared.
“The Bundeswehr cannot be everywhere in Germany where drones appear and bring them down,” he said. “Much more crucial is that the state and federal police build the capabilities they need to operate up to a certain altitude.”
He also voiced skepticism about plans by Interior Minister to establish a drone defense center.
“This center would then only be responsible for a potential threat from drones. However, we must expect that there could be multiple threat scenarios,” said Pistorius, mentioning the possibility that forest fires or power outages could occur simultaneously in different parts of Germany.
“Therefore, we primarily need a joint 24/7-360-degree situational awareness.”
Pistorius said Russia was trying to create uncertainty with breaches of airspace and drone overflights.
“It’s about provoking, instilling fear, and triggering controversial debates. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin knows Germany very, very well, as we all know. He also knows the German instincts and reflexes,” he said.
However, he said that although German intelligence has suggested that Russia will be in a position to attack a NATO country by 2029, “this does not mean that Putin will necessarily take this step.”
Pistorius said that while one could hope for the most positive scenario, one “also has to prepare for the worst case.”
The post Germany news: Pistorius calls for calm after drone sightings appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
