Germany’s military may soon be allowed to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles under a plan announced Wednesday after a string of drone sightings heightened fears of Russian surveillance and sabotage missions.
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The changed rules agreed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet will still require parliamentary approval before the armed forces can open fire on mystery UAVs that are deemed a threat.
Berlin accuses Moscow of engaging in a multipronged “hybrid warfare” campaign with East-West tensions soaring over the Ukraine war in which Germany and its Nato allies have strongly backed Kyiv.
A series of drone sightings over military and industrial sites in Germany has sparked alarm in recent months but has remained unresolved.
The interior ministry said Wednesday that “espionage or sabotage are regularly considered as a possible reason” for the UAV overflights.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “especially since (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we have seen that drones are being used more and more frequently”.