Belgium has enlisted the help of foreign military forces to intercept or track drones that have invaded its airports, military bases and nuclear power plant.
According to Reuters, French and German anti-drone teams have arrived in Belgium and 20 UK Royal Air Force specialists are to be deployed with systems that can jam the electronic signals needed for the drones to operate.
“We’re not saying it’s Russia. We are saying it looks like Russia. It’s impossible to link any incident to anyone. We have nothing,” a Belgian official, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak officially, told the agency. – “We are working with partners to try to retrieve the drone or to find out where it is being launched from and where it is flying to.”
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Franken told Het Laatste Nieuws last week that there was speculation that Russia was behind the drone incursions, “but I can’t prove it”. He said Belgium was under close scrutiny because of frozen Russian assets at Brussels-based securities depository Euroclear. The EU has suggested the funds could be used to finance Ukraine. Russia has threatened a “painful response” if that happens.
Russia denies any involvement in the drones. Its embassy in Brussels last week said it had “no motive or interest in such activities”.
On Friday, the Belgian government also gave preliminary approval to spend 50 million euros ($58.3 million) on drone detection and disabling systems, although it was unclear when the equipment would be available.
Flights were halted at the main airport in the Belgian capital Brussels on the evening of 4 November after suspected drone sightings. Then aircraft were also halted as a precautionary measure at Charleroi, the second largest airport.
In other EU countries, airports are also regularly forced to stop operations due to unknown drones. Such incidents have been recorded in Belgium, Norway, Denmark and France in recent weeks.
Russia denies accusations of waging “hybrid warfare” against European countries.