Russia rejects reports of Russian drones monitoring military supply paths in Germany

The German foreign ministry has confirmed that they are taking the Russian threat to European security "very seriously" following reports of drone sightings over Germany. According to the New York Times, these drone flights were concentrated in the eastern state of Thuringia and were also reported by WirtschaftsWoche, a German publication.

The Kremlin, however, has rejected the report, with Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, questioning the validity of the report, suggesting it was a "newspaper fake." The Kremlin has not provided any evidence to support or refute the claims. Similarly, the Russian foreign ministry did not provide any evidence to support or refute the report.

The alleged drone flights are said to be part of a larger sabotage campaign aimed at destabilizing Europe and eroding support for Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian forces in February 2022. The sabotage activities have caused warehouse fires in Britain, a dam attack in Norway, and attempts to disrupt undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been leading peace efforts to halt the war in Ukraine, which have so far failed. U.S. and German officials have been discussing these alleged Russian sabotage activities. The Department of Defense continually assesses and adjusts its global force posture in response to evolving threats and strategic priorities, but could not immediately provide further details about the alleged Russian drone flights over Germany.

The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment regarding the New York Times report. The search results do not provide specific information about which organizations consulted with U.S. authorities regarding suspected Russian sabotage activities, including details that contributed to the arrest of three Ukrainian women in May.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated that it should not come as any surprise that drones fly over ports and railway facilities. He emphasized that such activities are a part of the current security landscape and that Germany is taking necessary measures to secure its infrastructure.

The German foreign ministry official confirmed that they are observing the current developments very closely and are in regular exchange with their allies and NATO on this matter. They stated that Berlin was aware of reports about drone sightings and was taking the Russian threat to European security "very seriously."

It is likely that the drop in sabotage acts also reflects diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Ukraine. The sabotage acts have decreased significantly after peaking last year, partly due to heightened security in Europe and efforts by U.S. and European intelligence services to prevent attacks.

Russia rejects reports of Russian drones monitoring military supply paths in Germany