German security authorities have recorded more than 1,000 drone flights over critical sites this year, along with hundreds of suspected cases of sabotage and espionage.
German investigative journalism group Correctiv obtained situation reports from Germany’s Joint Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats, known as GAZH.
According to the reports, 1,034 drone flights had been recorded over critical infrastructure, military sites and defence industry facilities by August 19.
Authorities had also logged 163 suspected acts of sabotage. The targets included railways, Bundeswehr facilities, electrical substations, energy infrastructure and telecommunications towers.
Authorities had opened 25 formal investigations into suspected espionage, including 13 cases involving cyber espionage. Police were also conducting 39 preliminary investigations.
Mika Aaltola, a Finnish member of the European Parliament representing the National Coalition Party and the EPP group, highlighted the scale of the cases in a post on X.
He questioned at what point the demand for conclusive proof in each individual case should give way to an assessment of the broader pattern.
“At what point do 1,034 drone flights over critical infrastructure, 163 suspected sabotage cases and dozens of espionage investigations stop being isolated incidents and become a strongly correlated pattern that is highly likely to constitute a hostile Russian operation?” Aaltola wrote.
He noted, however, that the perpetrators behind many of the individual incidents have still not been identified.
“But the overall picture is difficult to ignore,” Aaltola said.
The reports also included 12 cases involving suspected attempts to illegally acquire technology or expertise related to weapons of mass destruction for use by a foreign state. Russia was listed as the intended recipient in seven of those cases.
Germany has investigated several incidents in recent months in which suspicions have focused on Russia.
In August, a drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport near Ukrainian cargo aircraft. The German government has since held Russia responsible for the suspected attempted attack.