Kremlin Refutes Claims of Russian Drones Monitoring U.S. Weapons Shipments in Germany

On Thursday, the Kremlin dismissed claims suggesting that Russia or its affiliates have used drones to surveil U.S. and allied weapon shipments traveling through eastern Germany.

According to U.S. officials speaking to The New York Times, there are suspicions that Russian operatives may be using drones to monitor supply routes in the German state of Thuringia.

Defense experts indicate that Moscow might be trying to gather intelligence on arms manufacturers and the logistics involved in delivering weapons to Ukraine via Poland. This information could potentially facilitate sabotage activities in Europe, as noted by the newspaper.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed reporters, asserting that he had not reviewed the report but categorically dismissed its validity.

“It’s difficult to believe, as the Germans would surely have noticed and wouldn’t have remained silent. This appears to be yet another instance of erroneous reporting by the media,” Peskov remarked.

A representative from Germany’s armed forces informed the business publication Wirtschaftswoche that Berlin views the alleged drone activities as a significant security threat, which has led to the deployment of anti-drone systems at military bases in the area.

German intelligence sources reportedly suspect that some of the drones could have been produced in Iran and launched from vessels in the Baltic Sea, which is adjacent to northwestern Russia. While U.S. officials have confirmed the drone flights, they stated that they could not ascertain their origin.