Unidentified drones spotted over Ramstein air base, German media reports

A series of mysterious drone flights have raised security concerns in Germany, with multiple unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles spotted over sensitive industrial facilities and the strategically military important Ramstein Air Base, according to a report by Der Spiegel.

NATO has previously warned of a campaign of hostile actions made by Russia, including sabotage and cyberattacks. In June, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Alliance sees a pattern, with recent attacks resulting from increased Russian intelligence activity.

Confidential security documents reveal that on the evenings of 3 and 4 December, numerous drones were observed flying over the extensive US military base, which serves as a critical operational hub for American forces in Europe.

Despite intensive efforts to locate the drone operators, authorities have been unable to identify their origin or purpose.

Drones were also sighted over facilities belonging to Rheinmetall, a major defense contractor, and BASF, a chemical industry giant.

The US Army has acknowledged the drone flights over Ramstein.A base spokesperson said several small drone systems had no impact on base personnel or the facilities and military equipment located there.

The Flensburg prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation, suspecting “intelligence activities with subversive intent.”

 In November, similar reports emerged of unidentified drones flying over Royal Air Force bases in Suffolk and Norfolk, UK. A drone was also discovered in the port of Hamburg monitoring the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

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