NachDenkSeiten website journalist Florian Warweg confronted the German government with a report, published by the organization Dronewatch EU and the Dutch newspaper Trouw, according to which there is no evidence that the recent drone sightings in several European countries were Russian.
“For this research, dozens of news reports and official statements published between 9 September and 27 November were analyzed. In total, 61 separate drone sightings were identified across 11 countries. Each case was reviewed to determine what ultimately became known. The outcome: the majority of reports remain inconclusive,” Dronewatch EU wrote.
“Although officials in Denmark, Germany and Belgium have repeatedly suggested Russian involvement, the data tells a different story. Only three cases involved confirmed Russian drones—all in countries bordering Ukraine: Poland, Romania and Moldova.
“This means that the often-mentioned link to Russian hybrid warfare in Western Europe is still unsubstantiated. And even if, at some point, drones were observed flying in formation—as the Belgian defense minister has claimed several times—that does not automatically point to a state actor.”
As Warweg asked government spokesman Meyer about these findings at a press conference, Meyer became aggressive:
“I am not familiar with this study. But it is a bold thesis to dismiss the hybrid threats posed by Russia with a stroke of the pen or by referring to media reports.”
Warweg: I did not do that. I only referred to the drone issue.
Meyer: That is the impression I got from the question you asked me.
As Warweg insisted, Meyer babbled that the German government bases its assessment on multiple sources, however, without naming one case of evidence. He was then backed by Defense Ministry spokesman Müller, who cut it short: “I don’t think that an evaluation by an online portal of a Dutch newspaper is relevant for our assessment. I say that quite clearly.”
