Germany’s government on Wednesday said it approved a plan that would allow the military to shoot down drones illegally flying as a last resort.

It applies to the backdrop of suspect observations in progress at key facilities.

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“The security government has seen that the number of reports of non-cooperative drone sightings on critical infrastructure and army homes in Germany is increasing,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

“Drones as a tool of espionage and sabotage can constitute a serious threat, especially to our critical infrastructure,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, adding that drones were used more “since Putin’s attack war” nearly 3 years ago in Ukraine.

Faeser said that it is mandatory to make legal arrangements that allow the German army to take measures “on the occasion of serious risks, including, as a last resort, to break down drones illegally. ” 

Faeser said this would be in the interests of protecting critical infrastructure and also that it shows Germany “will not be intimidated.”

On Monday, authorities in the southern state of Bavaria confirmed that up to 10 mysterious drones had recently been spotted above the Manching air base, which houses a military aerodrome and is where the Eurofighter jet is developed by Airbus.

Investigators had not ruled out espionage as an explanation for why behind the drone flights and fear it was raised that there may be an imaginable link to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Currently, the Army can the police force a non -manned aerial vehicle (UAV) to replace direction or land, threaten to break down or shoot.

KB/SMS (AFP, DPA)