German police have launched an investigation into alleged cases of Russian espionage after drones were spotted over several military facilities in Bavaria, reports "Reuters".
Amid Russia's war against Ukraine, it cannot be ruled out that German military facilities and defense companies were spied on by drones, the Bavarian State Criminal Investigation Office said.
The latest incident occurred late on Sunday. Police said a drone was spotted over a military base near Manning, a vast facility where German forces test new aircraft and drones.
Drones were spotted over the base near Manning for three days in December. That same month, there was another unauthorized overflight over a military installation in Neuburg an der Donau.
In December, Germany's federal police, the Bundeskriminalamt, warned companies that their employees and contractors could be carrying Russian saboteurs. Russia has denied such accusations.
Investigators have cited a series of unauthorized drone flights over sites including military facilities, LNG and oil terminals, seaports and logistics companies as examples of alleged sabotage by Russian state actors in recent months.
The head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, Bruno Kahl, said last month that Russia's sabotage of Western targets could eventually lead NATO to consider invoking Article 5 of the alliance's mutual defense clause.
Under that article, if a NATO country is attacked, other members of the alliance are obligated to help it respond to the attack.