Unidentified drones spy on Ukrainian training grounds in Germany, Germans decide not to touch them

Unidentified drones occasionally fly over a German training base for the Ukrainian military, but German officers have recognised the difficulty of dealing with them and have instead included them in training.

According to Politico, drones of unknown origin continue to buzz over the trees of the secret training ground near Berlin, but German Lt. Col. Roland Bösker said that while they assume some are flying with ‘unfriendly intentions,’ it is impossible to jam every single one.

‘It's technically impossible to block all the frequencies that can be used to control drones,’ Bjosker told Politico, adding that jamming would also shut down radios in the area, and adversaries can always find a way around the interference.

‘Compare it to tank armour. There is always some kind of ammunition that can penetrate even the best armour,’ he said.

Instead, the instructors decided to incorporate them into the training and ask the Ukrainian military to view them as a real threat that they will eventually face on the battlefields of Ukraine, where drones of all shapes and sizes are commonplace.

‘The way we solve the problem is that we integrate enemy drones into the training, telling the military to keep an eye on them,’ said Bjosker.

The exercise is part of the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), which was launched in November 2022. It aims to train 60,000 soldiers by this summer, with the website stating that 52,000 Ukrainian soldiers had already completed the training by May this year.

Politico reported that the training base in Berlin, a former East German military barracks, is one of two major training centres under the initiative, with the other located in Poland.

German Colonel Niels Janeke, who is leading the training, told the newspaper that this is not a war he was prepared for.

‘I have to admit, I'm a bit of a Cold Warrior... But to go back to this traditional warfare that is being fought in Europe, I would not imagine it,’ Janeke said.

Politico notes that while German troops are training Ukrainians for combat, they are also using this knowledge for their own training, camouflaging their troops and separating them on the field to minimise the likelihood of being targeted by drones.

Background. The day before, it became known that Germany could cut aid to Ukraine in half in 2025 due to the budget deficit. According to the draft budget, its deficit in 2025 could reach €17 billion.