Germany reportedly investigating 'espionage' drone flights over critical infrastructure
Germany has launched an investigation into repeated drone flights over the country's critical infrastructure, suspecting them of "agent activity for sabotage purposes," Flensburg public prosecutor Bernd Winterfeldt said on Aug. 22, in comments reported by Reuters.
Winterfeldt did not give further details on the nature of the drone flights or who was behind them, but the German tabloid Bild said police suspected they were being carried out using Russian Orlan-10s.
Bild also reported that a no-fly zone over a nuclear power plant in northern Germany had been violated several times during August and may have been launched from ships in the North Sea.
Several European countries have in recent months reported numerous cases of espionage and sabotage suspected of being carried out on the behest of Russia.
Alleged Russian spy rings have been discovered in countries including Ukraine, the U.K., and Slovenia.
It was revealed in May that Russia is recruiting violent right-wing extremists to carry out sabotage attacks in Europe and the U.K., raising concerns among intelligence chiefs.
