More and more drones are being spotted in Europe, not only in Poland, Denmark and Belgium, but also at Gilze-Rijen military air base on Wednesday evening. The drone was spotted by air traffic control, who then alerted the military police. By the time the military police arrived, the drone had already disappeared.
“That immediately shows why this is such a complex subject,” says Volkskrant journalist Huib Modderkolk in a talk show Eva. He published one on Thursday evening article about possible Russian drones that evoke fear and despair.
Suspicious drones are serious incidents, but it remains difficult to determine who is behind them. “That is extremely difficult every time. There is no hard evidence that Russia is behind it.” This also applies to the drone that was seen at Gilze-Rijen air base on Wednesday evening. Yet it does not mean nothing, says Modderkolk. “It seems clear to me that something is going on.”
Military drones flew in formation in Munich, and a large drone was spotted in Zaventem, Belgium. At the same time, Modderkolk warns of a kind of mass hysteria, comparable to the earlier panic surrounding powder letters.
Collect information
“They are not necessarily dangerous, but they are trying to observe something,” he says of the suspected military drones. “That’s why they fly over military areas.” Drones can be used to collect information: how Western countries respond, how quickly they respond, which radars are switched on and where military aircraft are located. “That is useful military information,” said Modderkolk.
According to Modderkolk, another possible goal is to sow panic: to cause disruption, despair and chaos. The National Security Council met in Belgium. “Airports should be closed.” Another conceivable goal, he says, is to reduce support in Western Europe for Ukraine.
Radar systems
“You need radar systems to detect those drones,” says Modderkolk. “We gave a hundred to Ukraine. Maybe we should get them back; we need them ourselves. That is ultimately in Russia’s interest. If you look at motives, you can understand why Russia would want that. It is also a way to test and stimulate Europe in its weak spots.”
According to Modderkolk, we are always surprised by drones, because there are too few good detection systems. Systems have already been delivered that can detect the difference between a bird and a drone, but they are not yet operational. “We are a bit lagging behind. Russia is always one step further.”
Drones can be launched from a cargo ship, but can also be controlled via a mobile network. “Then you can control them from a great distance: as long as there is an internet connection, you can control them from almost anywhere.”