Prior to the reported sighting of at least three drones over a power plant in the north of Belgium on Sunday evening, Brussels was already on high alert. A series of drone sightings has resulted in repeated closures of airports in the country, leading to the stranding of numerous passengers and the grounding of flights.
Belgium has become the latest target in a series of mysterious drone incidents across Europe, affecting airports and military sites. Some officials have directly implicated Russia in these incidents, prompting authorities to work swiftly to enhance their defenses.
According to reports from Belgian media, drones were observed over the Doel nuclear power plant near the Port of Antwerp over the weekend. However, these reports have not been confirmed by CBC News.
Unlike the Russian drones that breached Polish airspace in September simultaneously with a widespread air assault on Ukraine, there is limited information available about the recent drone sightings.
‘Game of Whack-a-Mole’
There is no evidence that any of the drones involved in the recent incidents have been intercepted or crashed.
Describing the situation, Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and Brussels-based think-tank Bruegel, stated, “There is a sort of game of whack-a-mole or hide and seek here. These drones, regardless of their origin or launch site, do not linger. They enter restricted airspaces and then quickly disappear.”
Britain’s military chief announced on Sunday that experts and equipment would be dispatched to Belgium to assist in detecting and defending against drones. Richard Knighton, the head of Britain’s armed forces, mentioned that Belgium sought assistance following the closure of Brussels airport last Tuesday due to drone sightings.
Liège Airport in Belgium, mainly utilized for cargo traffic, experienced multiple flight suspensions last week, including on Sunday, due to reported drone activities.
In Germany, where drones disrupted 17 flights at Munich airport in October, authorities are forming rapid-response teams to counter the threat, which the country’s defense minister has attributed to Russia.
In response to a journalist’s query on Friday, Boris Pistorius suggested that Belgium might be targeted due to the ongoing debate surrounding the use of 140 billion euros ($226 billion Cdn) from Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine. These funds are held in a Belgian-based clearinghouse known as Euroclear.
Pistorius remarked on Friday, “This is a tactic aimed at instigating insecurity and fear in Belgium: ‘Do not touch the frozen assets.’ This can be perceived in no other way.”
Russia’s Response
Last month, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed allegations against Russia regarding the drone launches, highlighting that numerous European politicians are eager to blame Russia for various issues.
The frequency of drone sightings has been described as “unprecedented” by Guiseppe Spatafora, a research analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies. He noted in an email to CBC that while direct evidence of Russian involvement may be challenging to find, there is a noticeable pattern in the countries affected by drone disruptions—they either support Ukraine significantly or are contemplating doing so.
Following the suspension of air traffic in Copenhagen on September 22, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled it as “the most severe attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date,” and did not rule out Russian involvement.
Subsequent to the Danish incidents, minimal information has been released regarding recent drone sightings in Europe, with authorities pled
