German investigators are examining possible links between unidentified drones spotted over northern Germany and a Russian "shadow fleet" vessel, Spiegel reported on Oct. 2, citing security sources.
The "shadow fleet" refers to vessels with opaque ownership structures that use flags of convenience to evade Western sanctions and oversight.
The vessel in question, a 100-meter cargo ship flying the flag of a Caribbean state, was operating in the Baltic Sea near Kiel at the time of the drone sightings in Schleswig-Holstein.
Investigators believe the ship's route and behavior suggest a potential connection.
Security officials told Spiegel the vessel met the technical requirements to launch and recover large drones, including rigid-wing models with wingspans exceeding four meters.
Such an aircraft was seen flying over strategically important infrastructure in late September alongside smaller drones.
Although the vessel was tens of kilometers away and outside German territorial waters during the sightings, its movements raised suspicions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned at the Warsaw Security Forum on Sept. 29 that Russia may be using oil tankers in the Baltic Sea to launch drones into NATO airspace.
The Ukrainian president urged Europe to deny Russian tankers access to the Baltic Sea, calling the activity "de facto Russia's military activity against European countries."
The concerns come amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO.
In early September, Russian drones were shot down over Poland. The same week, drones also entered Romanian airspace, though Bucharest opted not to intercept them.
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