German minister outlines plans to improve drone and cyber security

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt outlines plans to increase defenses against hybrid Russian attacks following a failed drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Dobrindt warns that Russia's hybrid attacks, including drones, cyberattacks, and sabotage, are a daily reality, but believes Germany can defend itself.

Specific plans to improve protection against drones and hacker attacks include deploying new units to protect critical transport hubs and establishing a national "Cyberdome" to detect and intercept hacker attacks.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt outlined plans to increase the country's defences against hybrid Russian attacks following a recent failed drone attack at a major airport in remarks to the Sunday edition of the mass-circulation Bild tabloid.

"Russia's hybrid attacks involving explosive-laden drones targeting airports, agents operating in our cities, cyberattacks on our networks, and sabotage of our infrastructure are a daily reality," Dobrindt said.

He predicted that the attacks would increase but said Germany could defend itself.

The newspaper reported on specific plans to improve protection against drones and hacker attacks, citing information from the Interior Ministry.

The airspace over critical transport hubs, airports, railway stations, and Berlin's government district was reported to be fully protected against drones by means of "new, rapidly deployable units," it said.

Companies operating critical infrastructure, such as water utilities, electricity providers, and defence contractors, are also to be given legal authority to actively defend themselves against drones.

A national protective shield known as a "Cyberdome" is to be established, comprising a dense network of digital sensors designed to detect and intercept attempted hacker attacks.

A drone laden with explosives was intercepted at Leipzig/Halle Airport near Ukrainian transport aircraft in August.