The Kremlin on Thursday rejected a New York Times report claiming Russia or its proxies had flown surveillance drones over routes used by the U.S. and allies to transport military supplies through eastern Germany.
The newspaper quoted U.S. and other Western officials as saying Moscow was using the drones to collect intelligence that could be used to bolster a sabotage campaign against the West and to assist Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment, but a German foreign ministry official said Berlin was aware of reports about drone sightings, took the Russian threat to European security "very seriously" and was monitoring the situation closely.
Asked about The New York Times report, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, told journalists the Kremlin had not had time to read the story closely.
"But it’s hard to imagine, because then the Germans would have seen it clearly, and they would hardly have kept quiet. So, of course, all this looks more like another newspaper fake," he said.
The New York Times said the Russian drone flights were concentrated in Germany's eastern state of Thuringia and had also been reported by WirtschaftsWoche, a German publication.
"The reports about alleged drone sightings are known to us. We are observing the current developments very closely. We are also in regular exchange with our allies and NATO on this matter," the German foreign ministry official said.
Asked about the New York Times' report at a press conference with Spain's defence minister, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said it should not come as any surprise that drones fly over ports and railway facilities.
"However, there is not much that can be done about it," he said.
A U.S. defense official said the Department of Defense "continually assesses and adjusts its global force posture in response to evolving threats and strategic priorities," but could not immediately provide further details.
U.S. and German officials have been discussing alleged Russian sabotage activities, including details that contributed to the arrest in May of three Ukrainian men allegedly involved in a plot linked to Russia, The New York Times said.
It said the sabotage activities had caused warehouse fires in Britain, a dam attack in Norway and attempts to disrupt undersea cables in the Baltic Sea that were aimed at destabilising Europe and eroding support for Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian forces in February 2022.
Russia has previously dismissed suggestions it was behind such sabotage activities.
The sabotage acts have decreased significantly after peaking last year, which is partly the result of heightened security in Europe and efforts by U.S. and European intelligence services to prevent attacks, The New York Times said.
It is also likely that the drop reflects diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Ukraine, it said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been leading those peace efforts, which have so far failed to halt the war.
