Air traffic over Eindhoven was halted for several hours on Saturday after unidentified drones were spotted near the airport, the latest in a growing number of drone incursions targeting military sites and critical infrastructure across northern and eastern Europe.
According to Dutch officials, the first sightings occurred late Friday above Volkel Air Base, a Royal Netherlands Air Force installation that also hosts a U.S. Air Force squadron under NATO. Weapons were deployed in an attempt to bring the drones down, but the aircraft left the area. Additional sightings on Saturday prompted authorities to temporarily close the airspace surrounding Eindhoven Airport until about 11 p.m. local time.
Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans confirmed that “measures” had been taken but did not disclose specifics. Officials likewise declined to explain how the drones were detected or what systems were used during the attempted intercept, citing security concerns.
The Netherlands is one of several European countries reporting repeated drone activity near military installations in recent months. Similar incidents have been recorded in Belgium, Denmark and Germany, with drones often departing before responders can identify their origin. The pattern has complicated investigations that began in September and left authorities without clear attribution.
Some European officials have suggested the activity could be linked to “hybrid warfare” efforts, pointing to the fact that the affected nations are strong supporters of Ukraine. Russia has rejected accusations that it is connected to the incidents.
In response to the uptick in sightings, defense ministers from 10 EU countries have agreed to develop a coordinated “drone wall,” while individual governments are pursuing their own measures to bolster counter-drone defenses.
関連コンテンツ How Russian drone incursions are strengthening Ukraine’s position
投稿画像クレジット Ian Usher via Unsplash
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