Unidentified drones have been observed hovering over a military base used by NATO in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch defense ministry.
The military personnel deployed weapons in an attempt to take down the drones spotted near Volkel Air Base, located north of Eindhoven, during the evening hours on Friday. Unfortunately, the drones 'departed and were never recovered'.
The Netherlands is not alone in experiencing this issue, as numerous northern European countries have reported frequent drone sightings around military installations and airfields in recent months. The Russian government has denied allegations of being involved in any of these incidents.
In response to the most recent events, Dutch police have begun an investigation but have refrained from disclosing further details related to the drones or the actions taken due to security protocols.
Volkel Air Base, which is utilized by both the Royal Netherlands Air Force and a United States Air Force squadron as part of NATO operations, has seen an uptick in reported drone activity. Following similar sightings at other Dutch air bases and military facilities across Belgium, Denmark, and Germany, air traffic has been disrupted, leading to heightened security alerts.
Efforts to establish the origin of these drones have been largely inconclusive, as they typically depart after hovering for a while. Some officials suspect that these incidents may be related to 'hybrid warfare' tactics associated with Russia, especially given that the targeted nations are allied with Ukraine.
In light of these developments, defense ministers from ten EU countries have agreed to implement a 'drone wall' to bolster defenses, while individual nations are moving towards acquiring anti-drone measures amid expressed concerns.
