Key facts
- Baltic Sea nations are planning to establish a joint task force focused on drone defence.
- The initiative aims to facilitate rapid information exchange to counter hybrid threats.
- Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated the goal is to react quickly to growing threats.
- The announcement comes amid concerns over potential sabotage of undersea cables and gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
- A drone carrying explosives was recently discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, a military logistics hub.
Countries bordering the Baltic Sea are planning to establish a joint task force dedicated to drone defence, according to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The initiative is intended to allow for a swift response to the escalating threat of hybrid attacks, particularly concerning potential sabotage of critical infrastructure like undersea cables and gas pipelines.
Dobrindt stated that foreign powers are daily attempting to undermine democracy, security, and economic strength within the EU, warning that these hybrid threats are "omnipresent" and could intensify in the coming months. The plan for the task force was announced ahead of a meeting in Flensburg with his Baltic Sea counterparts, focusing on enhancing information exchange.