Two drones were spotted over a military base in western Germany just days after an explosive‑laden device was found at Leipzig airport.
The German armed forces (Bundeswehr) confirmed the sighting on Thursday evening at the Mechernich base near Bonn, a site that hosts components for U.S.‑made Patriot air‑defence systems.
A Bundeswehr joint‑force command spokeswoman said soldiers’ police units had been deployed before handing the incident over to local police.
This drone sighting follows a wave of similar incidents across Europe, bringing the spotlight on hybrid warfare tactics that various European nations claim are linked to Russia—though Moscow denies involvement.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told Bild that Germany routinely faces “destabilising” attacks, emphasizing that it is “not at war, but we are the daily target of hybrid warfare.”
Authorities are investigating how the bomb‑laden drone reached Leipzig/Halle airport, a NATO, German military, and Ukrainian Antonov Airlines base. The Bundeswehr declined to comment on the suspected origins of the Mechernich drones.
The Mechernich base also stores spare parts for Patriot missile batteries—critical to Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded to allies for more interceptors, warning Ukraine is running out.
European officials have discussed a continent‑wide “drone wall,” while Russia keeps calling the sightings “absurd.”
