Germany recorded the highest number of drone detections over its military bases last month, a senior intelligence official said today, noting an increase in such cases over naval facilities, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Previously, drones were often spotted over army and air force bases, including those where Ukrainian soldiers are trained. In January, German police launched an investigation into suspected Russian espionage after drones were spotted over several military bases in Bavaria.
"The Bundeswehr (armed forces) has critical infrastructure. "Currently, it is mainly the navy that is affected (by drone surveillance) among other military forces," said Torsten Ackmann, deputy director of Germany's military counterintelligence.
He made one of his few public statements to Reuters.
Ackmann did not disclose specific numbers or give reasons for the apparent shift in focus to naval facilities.
Germany has the largest Western navy in the Baltic region, Reuters recalls. The Baltic Sea has gained greater importance for NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, which prompted the Baltic littoral states of Sweden and Finland to join the Western military alliance. Russia's Baltic Fleet is stationed near the Kaliningrad exclave. The Wilhelmshaven naval base on the North Sea is the Bundeswehr's largest garrison base. It deals with repairs and maintenance of the fleet and is of key importance for operations in the North and Baltic Seas.