Germany Probes Russian Links to Drone Activity Over Nuclear Plant

German authorities are investigating the potential involvement of Russia in a series of drone flights over critical infrastructure, including a decommissioned nuclear power plant in the northern part of the country.

The investigation is being led by the Flensburg public prosecutor’s office and follows reports of unidentified drones being observed in the area from early August.

According to German tabloid Bild, drones flying at high speeds have been spotted above a zone containing a halted nuclear power plant, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and chemical factories since at least 8 August.

One notable incident occurred late on the evening of 20 August when a drone, reportedly travelling at speeds of over 100 kilometres per hour, was detected above the nuclear facility. German police have confirmed that the drone breached a no-fly zone multiple times.

The latest sighting of drones occurred on 22 August, prompting authorities in Schleswig-Holstein, the federal state where Flensburg is located, to heighten their security measures. Certain police units have been placed on alert in response to the potential threat.

Preliminary assessments from German intelligence services suggest that Russian agents may be behind the drone flights, possibly operating the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from ships in the North Sea. These activities are thought to be part of a broader sabotage effort, with speculation centring around the use of “Orlan-10” drones, which have a range of 500-600 kilometres and can reach speeds exceeding 100 kilometres per hour.

Bernd Winterfeld, the senior prosecutor in Flensburg, confirmed to Bild that a preliminary investigation has been launched on suspicion of espionage with the intent to sabotage. The investigation concerns repeated drone flights over vital infrastructure in the Schleswig-Holstein region.

In recent months, Germany has seen a rise in reports of suspected sabotage attempts targeting key infrastructure and military sites. These incidents have raised concerns about the vulnerability of Germany’s critical infrastructure to foreign interference. In particular, the country has been on alert for possible threats from Russian intelligence, given the geopolitical tensions stemming from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

One of the more alarming aspects of the situation is that this is not the first time drones have been observed near sensitive sites. In addition to the recent incidents in Flensburg, German authorities have previously reported that unidentified drones have been spotted monitoring Ukrainian soldiers during their training in Germany. This has heightened concerns about potential Russian surveillance or interference in Germany’s military support to Ukraine.

Moreover, earlier this year, two German-Russian citizens were arrested on suspicion of planning sabotage against an American military base in Bavaria. These arrests added to the growing anxiety in Germany regarding the potential for domestic sabotage operations linked to Russia.

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