Unidentified drone has crashed near military airfield in Germany, - media
In Germany, an unidentified drone crashed near the Wunstorf military airfield, not far from Hanover. The Lower Saxony police have launched a large-scale operation in the vicinity of the military base.
This is reported by Bild, as reported by Censor.NET.
What is known?
Numerous police officers and other emergency services arrived at the scene. The area where the drone crashed was examined in order to establish the drone’s origin and ascertain the circumstances of the incident.
According to the Regional Criminal Investigation Department, there are currently no signs of a threat to the public.
- Wunstorf is of particular importance to the Bundeswehr: the German Armed Forces’ transport aviation unit is based at the airfield there. Consequently, the appearance of a drone in the immediate vicinity of the facility attracted heightened attention from the law enforcement authorities.
It is not yet known who flew the drone or whether its presence near the airfield was deliberate. The police are continuing their investigation.
What led up to it?
- Germany had previously stated that it intended to develop a ‘protective shield’ against acts of sabotage following the drone incident at Leipzig Airport.
- The German Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, told the publication that Russian hybrid attacks have become "an everyday reality" and are likely to intensify; however, he said, the country has the means to defend itself.
- As part of the project, there are also plans to expand the police’s mobile anti-drone capabilities: units in key cities – such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg – will protect the airspace above major transport hubs.
- It was previously reported that a drone was discovered near a Ukrainian aircraft at the airport on the night of Tuesday 4 August. It was equipped with explosives and a detonator. According to Die Zeit, the aircraft in question is an Antonov, which is believed to belong to the Ukrainian Air Force.
- NATO has confirmed that it is aware of this incident. The German police deployed a bomb-disposal robot to retrieve the drone.
- Subsequently, German media reported that
the Ukrainian cargo aircraft, next to which a drone containing explosives had been found at Leipzig/Halle Airport, was carrying ammunition.
- US intelligence believes that the drone carrying explosives, which was discovered at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany, probably belongs to the Russian Federation.
- On 1 September, Germany officially stated that Russia was responsible for the incident involving a drone carrying explosives near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The country has decided to terminate its agreement with the ‘Russian House’ in Berlin and to tighten controls on Russians entering the country. On 18 September, the Russian Consulate-General in Bonn will cease operations.
- German investigators have identified two possible suspects – men with links to Russia.
