FRANKFURT: A German military base in Cologne-Wahn was sealed off for several hours on Wednesday due to suspected sabotage, while a NATO airbase in the country encountered an attempted trespassing incident, officials reported.
The base, which supports military operations for Ukraine and houses facilities for government travel, was later reopened after precautionary checks.
In a separate incident, a NATO airbase in Geilenkirchen experienced an attempted trespassing late Tuesday. The individual was stopped and the base conducted routine security and water supply checks, though no safety concerns were reported. Increased security measures were implemented following the Cologne-Wahn incident.
German lawmakers are concerned about the timing of these incidents, suggesting a potential sabotage effort amidst heightened alert for attacks on military facilities in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Germany, a crucial ally of Ukraine, has been on heightened alert for sabotage and attacks on its military facilities following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In April, authorities arrested two German-Russian individuals on suspicion of spying for Russia and plotting attacks in Germany, including targeting US Army facilities, with the aim of undermining military support for Ukraine.
