The Belgian security services are in little doubt about who is responsible for the drone incidents above Belgian civil airports and military bases: this is the work of Russia. VRT NEWS has learned this from reliable sources. Russia is currently targeting Belgium due to the role it plays in releasing Russian assets frozen in Euroclear, the European clearing house dubbed the ‘bankers’ bank’ in Brussels.
The recent series of airspace violations above Belgian airports and military bases is causing growing concern among the security services. Officially, there is no hard evidence that Russia is behind the drone flights, but sources tell us that the security services ‘actually have no reasonable doubt’.
Everything points in that direction
The evidence is mounting. The drones appear above strategic locations such as the military bases of Kleine-Brogel and Elsenborn, places of military significance and close to national borders. Moreover, it is not just one aircraft, but several drones that sometimes appear to fly in formation. They usually appear in the dark, which indicates experience and technical knowledge: after all, night flight is anything but easy for amateurs.
Drones spotted near these air hubs
The timing and frequency are also striking. The number of incidents is rising rapidly, precisely at a time when Belgium is in the spotlight due to the discussions surrounding Euroclear and the heated exchange between Theo Francken and Dmitri Medvedev, the Deputy Chair of Russia’s Security Council.
Although it is not yet clear what type of drones are involved (there are no clear images), investigators do have some concrete leads, according to security sources. Belgium is therefore not completely in the dark.
It is striking that Denmark experienced similar drone attacks last month. There, it appeared that the devices were launched from a ship that is part of the Russian “shadow fleet”. In theory, drones can be controlled from a distance of 150 to 200 kilometres, which means that the operators are not necessarily located on Belgian territory. Belgium is working with its neighbours to find the perpetrators, defence minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist N-VA) told the defence committee of the Chamber of Representatives.
‘Not the work of amateurs’
Following the recent drone incidents, minister Francken left no room for doubt: ‘This is not the work of amateurs,’ he said. According to Francken, everything points to a well-coordinated action involving professional resources and expertise.
The minister does not rule out the possibility of further drone flights. ‘It could happen again tonight,’ he admitted. ‘We know that, and we will see what we can do.’ His message sounded both concerned and determined: the threat is real, but the means to counter it remain limited.
Francken therefore advocates strengthening the NASC, the information centre that monitors Belgian airspace. According to him, this centre should be developed into a real coordination hub, comparable to the MIK (Maritime Information Hub), which has been monitoring shipping for years.
‘We need a strong, integrated system that can immediately detect and track air movements,’ the minister said.
The repeated incidents are fuelling calls for stricter regulations. A proposal by home and security minister Quintin to make drone registration mandatory is gaining momentum. The principle is simple: just as aeroplanes are required to be registered, unregistered drones could automatically be considered a threat. This would allow security services to respond more quickly and decisively.
More drones than usual?
In 2024, some 30,000 drone incidents were recorded in Belgium, but only twice did an aircraft have to change runways. This year, the situation is clearly more serious. In just a few days, four civil airports had to close temporarily: Brussels Airport and Liège on Tuesday evening, Ostend on Friday and Deurne on Saturday.
The decision to shut down an airport depends on the location of the drones. As soon as they are spotted on or near an approach route, the risk is too great to continue air traffic. Even a single drone can shut down the entire airspace.