Germany Moves to Allow Police to Shoot Down Drones
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned this week that repeated Russian drone and aircraft incursions constitute a deliberate 'hybrid warfare' campaign, and Germany’s government has moved to empower local police to shoot down threatening drones. The action — championed by Chancellor Frederick Merz and still subject to parliamentary approval — follows drone sightings that briefly grounded flights at Munich airport and comes amid an EU push to mobilize roughly $930 billion in defense spending through 2030.
International
War & Conflict
📌 Key Facts
- Ursula von der Leyen called recent aerial incursions a coordinated 'hybrid warfare' campaign affecting six European countries over the past two weeks.
- German lawmakers on Wednesday paved the way for local police to be granted permission to shoot down drones; the measure still needs formal parliamentary approval.
- Less than a week earlier drone sightings near Munich forced grounding of flights; von der Leyen cited nearly $930 billion in planned EU defense spending through 2030 as part of the response.
📚 Contextual Background
- Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 (commonly dated 2022-02-24).
- Since February 2022, attacks on Ukraine have repeatedly targeted the country's energy infrastructure during winter months, employing missiles and attack drones and causing widespread power outages.