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Germany Moves to Tighten Counter-Drone Defenses After Munich Airport Disruptions as Russia Escalates Airstrikes on Ukraine

The government is pivoting to a centralized counter‑drone approach, proposing a joint hub with new air‑security authorities.

Overview

  • Munich Airport restarted operations after two nights of drone sightings, with lingering delays and roughly 6,500 travelers affected as Bundeswehr units assist police surveillance.
  • Federal police reported two drones over the north and south runways late Friday that left before identification, and investigators have not determined origin or motive.
  • Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt outlined plans for a joint drone‑defense center and a draft air‑security law to coordinate capabilities and enable tailored responses, while some state officials seek clearer police shoot‑down powers.
  • Defense Minister Boris Pistorius urged calm, saying no concrete threat has been established, and pressed for stronger police capabilities and a continuous 24/7 national situational picture.
  • Overnight, Ukraine faced large drone and missile barrages with dozens of intercepts reported, casualties in Zaporizhzhia and the Lviv region, a major fire at a Lviv industrial park, and Polish jets launched as a precaution before authorities reported no airspace violation.