In Germany, 1,034 instances of drones flying over critical infrastructure were recorded
In Germany, from the beginning of 2026 through August 19, 1,034 incidents of drones flying over critical infrastructure, military facilities, and defense industry enterprises were recorded.
According to Censor.NET, this is reported in an article by CORRECTIV, citing internal documents from the Joint Center for Countering Hybrid Threats (GAZ Hybrid).
More than a thousand incidents involving drones
A report by the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), prepared for GAZ Hybrid, notes that the level of hybrid threats in the country remains high and is becoming increasingly complex.
"The level of the hybrid threat in Germany has remained consistently high for quite some time and is becoming increasingly complex," the BKA report states.
Lower Saxony recorded the highest number of incidents involving drones flying over sensitive sites between May and August. Important military facilities, including naval bases, are located there.
The documents also mention 163 suspected cases of sabotage. These involved railway infrastructure, Bundeswehr facilities, electrical substations, energy facilities, communication towers, and administrative buildings.
Espionage, Illegal Procurement, and Persecution
As of August 19, German law enforcement agencies had launched investigations into 25 cases involving suspected espionage. Of these, 13 involved cyberespionage. In another 39 cases, the Federal Criminal Police Office was conducting preliminary investigations.
Germany’s Customs Criminal Investigation Service also recorded 12 cases of the illegal acquisition of technology and specialized knowledge for the development of weapons of mass destruction on behalf of foreign states. In seven cases, the destination country was Russia; in three, it was Iran; and one case each involved Belarus and Iraq.
Separately, German intelligence agencies monitor cases of transnational repression—surveillance, intimidation, and persecution of individuals by foreign states on German territory.
From June 17 to August 19, 20 such cases were reported. Nine of them are linked to Iran, three to Russia, and one to China.
According to CORRECTIV, internal documents from GAZ Hybrid provide the first opportunity to assess the scale of certain types of hybrid activities in Germany. These include, in particular, espionage, the illegal acquisition of technology for the development of weapons of mass destruction, and the persecution of individuals by foreign states.
