The German cabinet is set to approve an amendment on Monday to allow the armed forces to shoot down illegal drones, according to a draft amendment seen by Reuters. The move comes after several allegations of illegal flights over critical infrastructure in Germany, BTA reports.
Germany is on alert for hybrid attacks from Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Reuters notes. In one of the latest cases, police said on Monday they were investigating suspicions of Russian espionage after drones were spotted over several military installations in Bavaria.
Under the planned amendment to the law, local authorities will have the right to ask the army to take action if deemed necessary. This would give the armed forces the right to use force against illegal drones in the event of an unavoidable, particularly serious incident, the text of the amendment states.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government aims to have the amendment approved by the Bundestag before the federal elections on February 23, but it is unclear whether it will have a majority on the issue.