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Chancellor Merz: Russia Likely Behind Drone Attacks That Paralyzed German Airports
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that Russia is likely behind most of the drones spotted over Germany and Denmark, which disrupted air traffic, including at Munich Airport.
“Our assumption is that Russia is behind most of these drone flights,” Merz said on the ARD program Caren Miosga on October 5, as quoted by Reuters.
“First and foremost, I can reassure the public: so far, we have not had a single incident involving an armed drone,” he emphasized. “These are espionage attempts. They are also intended to destabilize the population.”
According to Merz, the frequency of these airspace incursions in Europe exceeds that seen during the Cold War, though none of the detected drones were armed—they were conducting reconnaissance flights.
He noted, however, that drones are also operated by private citizens, even though flying near airports is prohibited by law. One such incident occurred recently near Germany’s largest airport in Frankfurt am Main.
“But we investigate these cases regardless of who is behind them. They pose a serious threat to our security,” the chancellor added, according to DW.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder also stated that Russia could be behind the drones spotted over Munich Airport, the country’s second-largest airport, though he acknowledged that this cannot be confirmed with certainty.
“This is also a form of hybrid warfare—to make us nervous, to scare us. (...) Therefore, we must not show weakness and must not be afraid. (...) We need to act wisely, calmly, but consistently,” Söder said on ARD.
The drones over Munich on October 3–4 caused runway closures, dozens of flight cancellations, and delays affecting over 10,000 passengers. Russia denies involvement in these incidents.
Previously, German police have deployed a laser-based system to secure Munich Airport following repeated drone sightings that disrupted air traffic in recent days, Bild reported on October 5.
