Getty ImagesGermany's cabinet has decided to allow the military to shoot down suspicious drones spotted near military sites or other critical infrastructure.
In a statement, Secretary of the Interior Nancy Feser said that “especially since (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggressive war against Ukraine, we have seen drones being used more and more, which poses a growing challenge to the police and their current technology.” .
Russia is suspected of waging a “shadow war” against Western countries supporting Ukraine, a charge it denies.
This includes alleged attempts to blow up international airliners, attack infrastructure or interfere in democratic elections.
“I can only confirm that Russia has planned acts of aerial terror not only against Poland, but also against airlines around the world,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday.
He did not provide any details, but his statement appeared to confirm a New York Times report that US President Joe Biden had warned Putin about the alleged plans.
In November, Polish prosecutors reported a series of parcel fires targeting courier companies in Europe were dry tests by groups aiming to sabotage flights to the US and Canada.
Tusk hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Warsaw, a day after NATO announced a new mission to step up surveillance of ships in the Baltic Sea after critical undersea cables were damaged or cut last year.
Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Recently, there have been several cases of unidentified drones flying over military bases.
At least 10 such drones were seen flying over the Manning air base near the city of Ingolstadt on Sunday evening, German police said.
Last month there were sightings in Manching and nearby Neuburg an der Donau.
Drones were also spotted at the US air base in Ramstein and an industrial area near it in the North Sea.
In his statement, Interior Minister Feiser said that “espionage or sabotage is regularly considered as a possible cause.”
Under current rules, the German military can only help police force drones to move away or land — but also fire warning shots to make that happen.
Under the new proposals – which still need parliamentary approval – soldiers can shoot down a drone if they believe it is the only way to deal with the danger it poses “to human life or critical equipment”.
In November, Polish prosecutors said a series of parcel fires targeting courier companies in Poland, Germany and the UK were attempts aimed at sabotaging flights to the US and Canada.
Western security officials believe they were part of an orchestrated campaign by Russia's GRU military intelligence.
Russia denies being behind acts of sabotage.
But it is suspected of being behind other attacks on warehouses and rail networks in EU member states this year, including in Sweden and the Czech Republic.