The German authorities are increasing vigilance due to increased activity of Russian drones near military facilities.

The German authorities are increasing their vigilance after the increased cases of drone surveillance of military and industrial facilities in the country. According to an investigation by German media, Western security services suspect that Russia is sending reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are launched from ships in the North and Baltic Seas.

One of the cases that attracted the attention of the authorities is that of the cargo ship HAV Dolphin, which stayed for more than 8 days at anchor in the Kiel Bay, where the 1st flotilla of the German Navy is based. When UAVs were spotted nearby, the ship was inspected, but no drones were found, even though the entire crew of 7 people turned out to be Russian citizens. Later, the ship was also inspected in Rotterdam, but again no evidence of espionage or sabotage was found.

According to information from the Ministry of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein, since the beginning of 2022, 34 suspicious UAVs have been spotted near sensitive industrial and military facilities in the region. According to the investigation, the total number of cases of drone surveillance along the entire German coast may reach up to 100.

European security services believe that at least some of these drones are launched from civilian ships belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet". In addition, a Bundeswehr representative states that UAV launch systems from ships are available on the civilian market.

Another worrying case is the one in which a police boat, observing a Russian tanker, was suddenly placed under the surveillance of 7 drones for about 3 hours, without the possibility of taking countermeasures.

In recent months, authorities in Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, and Denmark have carried out numerous inspections of ships suspected of espionage or sabotage, some of which have been related to observed nearby UAVs. Despite the increased inspections, no specific ship from which the drones are launched has been found so far.