Germany is currently looking into reports of unidentified drone flights, which are suspected to be Russian surveillance drones, over critical nuclear sites in the northern region of the country.
These drones were spotted flying above nuclear power plants in Brunsbüttel, a coastal city just north of Hamburg, as per a report by German outlet Bild.
The Flensburg public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into these drone activities, expressing concerns over potential “agent activity for sabotage purposes” given the frequency of these flights.
According to Bild, the Schleswig-Holstein state criminal police agency believes the drones in question could be Russian Orlan-10s, known for their use in surveillance and espionage by Russia.
It’s important to note that Germany’s airspace over nuclear facilities is designated as a no-fly zone. However, internal police records indicate that there have been multiple breaches in this zone over the past month.
The country has stepped up its efforts to counter sabotage lately. For instance, on August 14, authorities temporarily shut down part of a military base in Cologne after an intruder was found tampering with the water supply. The motives behind that incident remain unclear.
In the ongoing conflict with Russia, Germany has been a significant ally of Ukraine, recently permitting Ukrainian forces to utilize weapons and equipment supplied by Germany as part of their operations.
This year, Germany also announced a substantial arms package worth $542 million for Ukraine, which included ammunition for the IRIS-T air-defense system designed to fend off Russian air attacks.
Drones have played a pivotal role in the Ukraine conflict, with both sides effectively deploying them to strike infrastructure and engage enemy aircraft. In fact, Russian oil supplies have come under intense drone assaults, with a significant strike on August 18 causing a massive fire at the Proletarsk state reserve fuel facility, requiring over 500 firefighters to manage the situation.
Drone activity has even reached Moscow, where Russian authorities reported on August 21 that they had intercepted 45 drones above the capital.
The Orlan-10 drones, believed to be involved, have a flight range of 500 to 600 kilometers and can achieve speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour.