Unidentified drones persistently hover over German military bases during Ukrainian troops training
In Germany, federal authorities have been trying for more than a year to determine the origin of drones appearing above barracks and military grounds, where both German and Ukrainian troops undergo training, reports Bild.
Nils Hilmer, the State Secretary at the country's Defence Ministry, acknowledged the issue to German parliamentarians: "So far, we have been unsuccessful in capturing any drones or their operators."
Suspicious drones are spotted above military bases and barracks in Germany every week, and the army has long been aware of this problem. In October 2022, General Carsten Breuer, who was then leading the Territorial Command, reported drone sightings.
The places where the German armed forces train Ukrainian military personnel were particularly affected. Breuer urgently ordered the military police to be trained in using the "jammer" HP 47, a device capable of intercepting signals and grounding UAVs, although the effectiveness of HP 47 had yet to be fully studied.
Soon after, Breuer was promoted to Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, but no significant advancements were made in counter-drone defenses.
Defense expert Markus Faber told Bild: "Drones are regularly spotted over the Klietz military training area, where the Bundeswehr trains Ukrainians on the Leo-1. At other bases, several drones sometimes enter the airspace simultaneously. This clearly organized pattern points to Russia."
The Bundeswehr also suspects that Russia is behind these drone flights, but there has been no conclusive evidence since none of the drones have been destroyed or captured.