Defense minister: Drones over Germany have not yet posed a specific threat

Minister of Defense of Germany Boris Pistorius said that the drones that were spotted over his country did not pose a threat. The official said this in an interview with the Handelsblatt newspaper, reports Deutsche Welle broadcaster.

According to the official, the discussion about the drones spotted over German airports is unprecedented, so "all the more important to view the situation soberly and calmly."

"So far, the observed drones have not posed any concrete threat," Pistorius said.

The minister noted that significant progress has been made in the field of UAV defense, but added that the country's armed forces "cannot be everywhere in Germany where drones appear and bring them down."

Instead, the official added, it is much more important that the regional and federal police "build the capabilities they need to operate up to a certain altitude (against UAVs – Ed.)."

Among other things, Pistorius noted that Russia is trying to create uncertainty through airspace violations and drone flights.

"It's about provoking, instilling fear, and triggering controversial debates. [Russian dictator] Putin knows Germany very, very well, as we all know. He also knows the German instincts and reflexes," the minister explained.

However, he noted that although German intelligence suggests that by 2029 Russia will be able to attack a NATO country, "this does not mean that Putin will necessarily take this step."

At the same time, the official emphasized that while one can hope for the most positive scenario, "also has to prepare for the worst case."

• On the evening of October 2, another incident with drones occurred in Europe: at the Munich airport, flights were first restricted and then suspended due to drones were detected in the sky above the airport.
• The next day, over the Elsenborn military base in Belgium, which is located near the German border, 15 drones were spotted. The country's defense minister does not rule out that Russia may be behind the UAV incident, but there is no "concrete evidence" yet.
• On October 4, Vilnius airport was closed for several hours due to balloons in Lithuanian airspace.