On November 21, unidentified drones flew over Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands. The military opened fire on them, but were unable to shoot them down.
This was reported by the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
The military attempted to shoot down the drones from the ground, but no debris was found, so it is assumed that the targets were unharmed. The incident was reported to the police, who are now investigating who launched the drones and for what purpose.
The Ministry of Defense says that due to security risks, they are not disclosing details — in particular, how exactly the drones were detected and what means were used against them.
Volkel is believed to be the only base in the Netherlands where American nuclear weapons are stored, although the countryʼs Ministry of Defense does not officially confirm this. In 2023, ten activists were able to get inside and take to the runway in protest.
Aircraft and drones in EU airspace
In September, a series of airspace violations by drones and aircraft began to be recorded in Europe. In particular, Russian drones flew into Poland and Romania, their wreckage was found in Bulgaria and Latvia. Three MiG-31 fighters entered Estonian airspace.
On the night of October 3, 15 unidentified drones were spotted over the Belgian military base in Elsenborn. The base is located a few kilometers from the German border and is an army training camp that includes a guarded area for shooting exercises.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.