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Recent weeks have seen a surge in mysterious drone flights over European Union airspace, sparking widespread alarm among the public and government officials. These incursions, some attributed to Russia, have reached an unprecedented scale, raising concerns about NATO’s preparedness and response capabilities. On September 10, a swarm of Russian drones breached Poland’s airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to intercept and shoot down several devices. This marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since the latter’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia’s airspace. These incidents have led European defense ministers to agree on developing a ‘drone wall’ along their borders to enhance detection, tracking, and interception of unauthorized drones. While Russia denies any deliberate involvement, European authorities remain tight-lipped, often delaying public acknowledgment of these overflights. In Germany, Munich Airport experienced two closures within 24 hours due to drone sightings, disrupting travel for over 6,500 passengers. Similarly, Copenhagen Airport faced significant disruptions, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeling it as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. Norway’s Oslo Airport also reported a drone sighting, prompting investigations into potential links between these incidents. Danish military sites, including the Karup Air Base, have also been targeted, with Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen suggesting a ‘professional’ actor was behind these systematic flights. In Germany, drones were spotted over critical infrastructure in Schleswig-Holstein, including a power plant, a university hospital, and a shipyard. Authorities are investigating these sightings, with Chief Public Prosecutor Stephanie Gropp confirming ongoing inquiries. The situation has left European countries scrambling to formulate effective responses, including whether to authorize the shooting down of drones.

In a tragic incident that underscores the perils faced by journalists in conflict zones, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed in a Russian drone strike in eastern Ukraine. The attack, which occurred on the outskirts of Komyshuvakha in the Donetsk region, also left Ukrainian photojournalist Grigoriy Ivanchenko severely injured. This marks the first instance of a journalist being killed by a drone in Ukraine, according to the European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ).

Mr. Lallican, a Paris-based journalist, had been documenting the war since March 2022, just a month after Russia’s full-scale invasion began. His dedication to capturing the human cost of the conflict earned him the prestigious Victor Hugo Prize for photography in 2024. At the time of the attack, both journalists were embedded with the 4th Mechanised Brigade, approximately 15 kilometers from the frontline.

Despite wearing personal protective equipment, including bulletproof vests marked with ‘PRESS,’ the journalists were unable to hear the drone overhead due to the noise of chainsaws being used to build defensive positions. Anastasia Haletska, the brigade’s press officer who was also wounded, managed to apply tourniquets to Mr. Ivanchenko before both were transported to a hospital in Kramatorsk. Mr. Lallican was killed instantly, while Mr. Ivanchenko is in stable condition but had to undergo a leg amputation.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Mr. Lallican, describing him as a victim of a Russian drone attack. ‘I express my sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all his colleagues who, risking their lives, inform us and bear witness to the reality of war,’ Macron wrote on X.

Mr. Lallican’s work, published in outlets such as Le Monde and Le Figaro, documented the war’s impact across Ukraine, from Odesa in the southwest to Kharkiv in the northeast. His photographs captured the plight of families fleeing the invasion, elderly residents refusing to abandon their homes, and soldiers on the frontline.

The EFJ and IFJ reported that 17 journalists have been killed since the invasion began. In a joint statement, they honored Mr. Lallican’s courage and demanded justice for his death. Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), accused Russia of deliberately targeting those documenting war crimes. ‘Antoni Lallican built a visual bridge between the world and Ukrainian reality. Now he himself has become part of this tragic story,’ Tomilenko said.

The Kremlin has yet to comment on the attack.

A Russian drone attack on a railway station in north-eastern Ukraine has left at least 30 people injured, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The strike occurred in the city of Shostka, located in the Sumy region, where preliminary reports suggest that both train staff and passengers were present at the time of the incident. Emergency services have swiftly responded to the scene, providing immediate assistance to those affected. However, details regarding the extent of the injuries remain under investigation. President Zelensky shared a video on social media platform X, depicting a train carriage engulfed in flames, highlighting the severity of the attack. This incident underscores the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which continues to inflict significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

Munich Airport, one of Germany’s largest aviation hubs, resumed operations on Saturday morning following its second shutdown in less than 24 hours due to drone sightings. The airport, which had been closed overnight, began a gradual reopening at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), with delays expected to persist throughout the day. Federal police confirmed two drone sightings near the airport’s north and south runways shortly before 11 p.m. on Friday, though the drones vanished before identification was possible. The disruptions impacted at least 6,500 passengers, adding to the nearly 3,000 affected by a prior closure on Thursday night. This incident is part of a broader pattern of mysterious drone overflights at airports and critical infrastructure sites across several European Union member countries, including Belgium and Norway. While European authorities have raised suspicions of Russian involvement, Russian officials have denied any connection. Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, emphasized that not all drone flights pose an immediate threat, though he acknowledged the need for enhanced drone defense measures. Dobrindt announced plans for a joint drone defense center to coordinate efforts between Germany’s federal and state governments.