Germany’s Merz Suspects Kremlin Behind Munich Drone Sightings

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz says drones near Munich Airport likely linked to Russia.
• Runway closures stranded thousands during Oktoberfest celebrations.
• Moscow dismisses the allegations, calling them “ridiculous.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government suspects the Kremlin was behind a wave of drone sightings that disrupted flights at Munich Airport in recent days, calling them part of a broader campaign of espionage and public intimidation.

“We suspect that a significant portion of it is probably controlled from Russia. But we are investigating the matter, and regardless of where it comes from, it is a serious threat to our security,” Merz said on German public television late Sunday.

Authorities temporarily closed Munich Airport after multiple drones were spotted near its airspace, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights and stranding thousands of passengers, many of whom had traveled for Oktoberfest.

“These are attempts at espionage,” Merz said. “They are also attempts to unsettle the public. We know that we have to do something about this. We will do so, but we will do so calmly and with a sense of proportion.”

European Response

The incidents come amid a wave of drone-related disruptions across Europe, with similar airspace violations recently reported in Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Romania, and Poland. European leaders have blamed Russia for orchestrating or supporting the incursions as part of a wider hybrid campaign targeting NATO and EU countries.

Merz compared the current pattern of incidents to Cold War–era airspace violations, noting that such provocations are now occurring “far more frequently than we have been experiencing in recent weeks.”

Last week, EU leaders debated a European Commission proposal to create a “drone wall” along the bloc’s eastern borders. However, key member states — including Germany and France — are wary of shifting defense authority from national governments to Brussels, preferring to keep coordination within NATO frameworks.

“We are facing a threat on a scale that we have not seen in recent years,” Merz said. “We are working intensively, including within the European Union and NATO, to reach decisions on how to counter this threat.”

Wider Context

Berlin’s investigation has found no evidence that the drones were armed, though officials said some incidents involved domestic operators copying foreign activity. The chancellor described these as “isolated, criminal imitations.”

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked Merz’s accusations, saying Berlin “still hasn’t figured out what happened with the Nord Stream explosions” and implying that Germany’s latest claims lacked credibility.

European intelligence officials have warned that Moscow’s hybrid tactics — combining drones, cyber operations, and disinformation — are likely to intensify as winter approaches and public anxiety over energy and security grows.

(Germany deployed anti-drone system to the Munich Airport)