Russia’s possible espionage appears to have spread its wings to Germany in a bid to snoop over a key military facility where Ukrainian troops are training to operate the Patriot Air Defense System.
Unidentified drones, with suspected links to Russia, were found snooping over the Schwesing Air Force base where Ukrainian troops are training on Patriot missile defense systems, German publication Der Spiegel reported on February 9. According to the report, German military officials are investigating the potential espionage.
Six drone incidents were reported between January 9 and 29 at the high-security facility near Husum, according to a leaked Ministry of Defense report.
The drone activities occurred despite anti-drone countermeasures, such as the HP47 system, which uses radio jamming to identify and disable drones, raising concerns over the efficacy of the systems.
The German authorities could neither force these mystery drones to land nor identify their origin. However, reports in local German media have attributed these mystery drones to the Russian intelligence service.
Der Spiegel stated that in addition to drones, vehicles with Russian diplomatic license plates have been spotted close to the strategic military installation, which is the site of training for both German and Ukrainian troops.
The Russian military has cutting-edge drones in its arsenal, which it frequently uses to carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations against its adversaries.
If Russia is indeed spying, it would likely be to collect crucial information on the operation of these combat-proven air defense systems that have given a tough time to Russians in the Ukraine war.
The Patriot batteries, delivered to Ukraine by Germany and other NATO allies, have been instrumental in protecting Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure, particularly around Kyiv. It is a mobile, ground-based missile defense interceptor that can identify, track, and intercept cruise missiles, short-range or tactical ballistic missiles, fighter jets, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Patriot system has four main components: Interceptor missiles, launchers, an engagement control center, and a radar set. It can fire dozens of missiles in a single engagement to defend against planes, missiles, or rockets.
Ukraine has claimed that the Patriot systems shot down Russian hypersonic missile Kinzhal, which Russian President Vladimir Putin had positioned as invincible.
Additionally, reports indicate that the Patriot system has continuously proven its capability to intercept various Russian weapons, including missiles up to 130 miles (about 209 kilometers) away and aircraft such as Su-34 fighters at approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) away.
Germany has sent four Patriot launchers and several Patriot missiles to Ukraine to strengthen its defenses. Additionally, Berlin has deployed two Patriot missile defense batteries and about 200 German personnel to safeguard Rzeszów, a key Western military aid hub for Ukraine in Poland.
In December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged its allies in NATO to send at least 10 to 12 more Patriot systems to safeguard the Ukrainian skies amid a relentless barrage of missiles unleashed by Russia. This might explain Russia’s keen interest in the Patriot air defense system.
The Bundeswehr has not officially acknowledged the Kremlin’s role in the drone activity at the time of writing this report. However, in recent times, Germany has reported multiple drone sightings close to sensitive military bases.
Russian Spy Drones On A Prowl?
Germany has emerged as one of the biggest providers of military aid to Ukraine and cemented its position as the country that trains several Ukrainian soldiers in using cutting-edge Western-grade weaponry.
“Training on weapons systems such as the LEOPARD A1 tank, the MARDER armored personnel carrier, the PATRIOT missile defense system, or the PANZERHAUBITZE 2000 requires the highest level of expertise from the trainers,” says the Bundeswehr website.
However, this has allegedly led to an uptick in drone activity over military facilities across Germany. Earlier, for instance, suspected Russian drones allegedly carried out flights to snoop over Ukrainian troops training on the Leopard-2 Main Battle Tank (MBT).
In the past year, drones have been detected over strategic locations such as the US military airbase at Ramstein in West Germany, training facilities for Ukrainian soldiers, and sites owned by German defense contractor Rheinmetall. One notable incident took place in November last year when a drone was seen approaching a British aircraft carrier docked in Hamburg.
Not just that, German publication BILD reported last year that high-speed drones were observed flying over nuclear power plants near Brunsbüttel.
More recently, on January 13, authorities in the southern state of Bavaria revealed that up to ten unidentifiable drones were observed over the Manching airfield, which houses a military airport and is the site of production for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
There has also been an upsurge in spying activities in Germany, also allegedly linked with Russia. Last year, two German-Russian nationals were arrested on suspicion of plotting sabotage, which authorities characterized as a major effort to undermine military support for Ukraine.
To combat the menace of drones, the German government has also approved a plan that would enable the military to shoot down drones flying over vital infrastructure and military installations. The policy was accepted by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet on January 15.
Maximilian Kall, a spokesperson for the interior ministry, said last month: “What we are now seeing, especially in the wake of Russian aggression and the drastically changed security situation over the past two years, is an increasing number of drone flyovers above military installations and critical infrastructure — drones that cannot be countered by police measures alone.”
Current rules allow the military to fire warning shots or divert drones, but they are not allowed to shoot them down. However, the proposed amendment to the Aviation Security Act would permit the Bundeswehr to use force against drones in cases where threats to critical facilities or human lives cannot be mitigated by police intervention.
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