Germany suspects Russia behind drone incursions, Moscow mocks investigation

The German chancellor's statement is quoted by DW.

Munich’s main airport was closed over the weekend due to drone activity, forcing the cancellation of numerous flights and stranding thousands of passengers.

“Our assumption is that Russia is behind most of these drone flights,” Merz said, calling the number of incursions into European airspace unprecedented, even compared with the Cold War era. He noted that none of the drones observed so far appeared to be armed, and suggested they were likely carrying out reconnaissance missions.

Munich Airport temporarily suspended operations again late on October 2 after reports of another unidentified drone. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius urged calm, saying authorities were investigating the incidents.

Russia responds to Merz’s statement

Moscow responded sharply to the allegations. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mocked Merz’s statement, telling Kommersant, that Germany might conclude its investigation “in the next century.”

“In Berlin, they still haven’t figured out the ‘streams’  [the Nord Stream pipeline explosions – ed.] — they still don’t know who blew them up,” Zakharova said, referring to the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. “They’ll probably get around to the drones in the next century.”