German police are investigating multiple incidents of strange unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying over an air base where Ukrainian forces are undergoing training using the Patriot air defense system.
A series of strange UAV sightings around military and industrial sites in Germany in recent months has caused alarm and forced the government to change regulations, allowing suspicious UAVs to be shot down.
AFP on February 9 quoted local media as saying that from January 9-29, six strange UAV sightings were recorded at Germany's Schwesing air base near the Danish border.
German and Ukrainian soldiers at a military training center in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, in June 2024, where Ukrainian forces were trained to use the Patriot air defense system.
A military spokesman said the cases had been reported to the police. In January, the German cabinet approved the military’s ability to shoot down suspicious drones near military sites and critical infrastructure. Under previous regulations, the military could only help police chase them away or fire warning shots to force them to land. Under the new rules, soldiers can shoot down drones if they believe it is the only way to deal with a threat to civilian life or critical infrastructure.
Media reports said the German military used HP47 jamming devices but were unable to take down the UAVs. They also have not been able to locate the operators of these devices.
According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, military officials believe that the UAVs in question are technologically advanced, not ordinary commercial models. Some defense officials believe that the newly discovered UAVs could be launched from ships in the North Sea or the Baltic Sea.
A German military spokesman confirmed that UAV sightings and espionage have increased in recent months but said the military remains cautious about the motives behind such cases as UAVs can be purchased in stores and could be operated by someone with no malicious intent near military buildings.
The Schwesing base is a training ground for air defense missile troops and Ukrainian soldiers are being trained to use the Patriot system there. Germany is one of the major arms donors to Ukraine and has supplied the country with Patriot air defense missile systems.
A few weeks ago, UAVs were also spotted flying over the US air base at Ramstein, an important NATO logistics hub in Germany.
Ukraine has long lobbied its Western partners to provide air defense systems to counter Russian attacks. Early on February 10, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia had launched a drone attack on the Ukrainian capital overnight, setting a building on fire but there were no reports of casualties, according to Reuters.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/uav-la-bay-qua-noi-luc-luong-ukraine-hoc-su-dung-ten-lua-patriot-tai-duc-185250210101335803.htm
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