Unidentified Drones Seen Over German Air Base During Ukrainian Patriot System Training

The German military has detected drones over its North Sea air base, monitoring Ukrainian forces training on the Patriot air defense system.

This was reported on February 8 by the German outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung, citing the German Defense Ministry.

The outlet stated that the surveillance incidents occurred in January 2025, with a total of six recorded cases. Attempts were made to shoot down the drones, but they were unsuccessful.

According to Defense Express, unidentified drones have frequently been spotted near military and critical infrastructure in Germany, especially since the government began training Ukrainian troops.

The agency adds that these incidents have become routine, with reports dating back to at least October 2022. At the time, the response was limited to electronic countermeasures, such as HP 47 portable jammer guns used by local police.

Acts of sabotage have been on the rise across Europe, with several incidents linking back to Russia. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský reported on December 4, 2024, that Russia is believed to be connected to nearly 100 incidents across Europe in 2024, categorized as hybrid attacks, espionage, or influence operations.

On January 28, Politico reported that Russia sought to eliminate Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, a leading German defense company that supplies military equipment to Ukraine.