Two unidentified drones were observed flying over a German military installation in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday evening, the Bundeswehr confirmed on Saturday. The sighting at the Mechernich base, near Euskirchen, was reported around 10 pm and verified by security personnel, who then alerted military police.
The German Joint Force Command said in a statement that the Euskirchen police department has opened an investigation. Police have not yet commented publicly, and the military has not released further details about the drones' size, altitude, or flight path.
The incident comes just two days after a drone carrying explosives was discovered on the tarmac at Leipzig-Halle Airport, a major freight hub in the east of the country. The device was neutralized in a controlled explosion shortly before midnight on Tuesday. Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the find as a “new quality of danger,” underscoring growing concerns about drone activity near critical infrastructure.
Rising drone incidents across Europe
Thursday's sighting is part of a broader pattern of unexplained drone flights over European airports and military sites. Last year, mysterious drones disrupted air travel at several major airports from Copenhagen to Warsaw, forcing dozens of flight cancellations and stranding thousands of passengers. Authorities across the continent have struggled to identify the operators, with some incidents attributed to hobbyists and others to state-linked actors.
Leipzig-Halle is not only a key logistics hub for international freight but also a vital link in Western support for Ukraine. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the airport has served as a base for Ukraine's national carrier, Antonov Airlines, and hosts NATO's Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS), which delivers equipment to alliance battle groups along the eastern flank from Finland to Romania.
In 2024, an incendiary device ignited at a logistics centre at the same airport, setting fire to a freight container. Western security officials suspect that attack was orchestrated by Russian intelligence, part of a series of sabotage and harassment incidents across Europe. The Russian Embassy in Germany dismissed the latest drone find as part of a “new wave of anti-Russian hysteria,” a claim that Berlin has rejected.
The Bundeswehr has been on heightened alert for drone incursions, particularly after a series of sightings over its facilities, including the German brigade deployment in Lithuania, which is seen as a cornerstone of NATO's eastern deterrence. The military has not said whether Thursday's drones were linked to any foreign actor, but the proximity to the Leipzig incident has raised questions about coordinated activity.
German authorities have been working to improve counter-drone capabilities, including electronic jamming and detection systems, but the sheer volume of incidents has stretched resources. The Pentagon's recent UFO files have also highlighted Germany's role in investigating unexplained aerial phenomena, though officials stress that most drone sightings are mundane.
The investigation into the Mechernich sighting is ongoing. The military has not disclosed whether any interception measures were taken, but it confirmed that military police were deployed to the site and that the area was searched. No damage or injuries were reported.
As drone technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, European governments are grappling with how to protect sensitive sites without infringing on civil liberties. The European Union has proposed new rules requiring remote identification for drones, but implementation has been uneven. For now, the skies over Germany's military bases remain a point of concern, with each new sighting adding to the pressure on authorities to find answers.
