Unidentified drones spark security alert at French military base

Unidentified drones flew over France's Mourmelon-le-Grand military base overnight on Monday, triggering increased security measures at the facility that houses the 501st tank regiment and has trained Ukrainian soldiers, domestic media reported.

Military officials told French outlets that small aircraft spotted over the Marne department base were "not drones piloted by military personnel," according to the departmental military delegation. Regional newspaper L'Union was the first to report the incident.

The base immediately increased security arrangements following the unauthorised overflights. Mourmelon-le-Grand has hosted Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training as part of the Champagne task force throughout 2024.

French law strictly prohibits civilian drones from flying over military installations, with unauthorised flights over sensitive sites considered threats to national security punishable by heavy fines or imprisonment.

The incident is yet another in a growing pattern of unauthorised drone incursions across Europe over the past month. Several European countries have reported UAVs operated by unknown individuals flown over sensitive civilian and military sites in Scandinavia, Poland and the Baltic states.

These intrusions have led to temporary airport closures, flight cancellations and increased air patrols across the affected regions. NATO officials suspect Russia may be behind the disruptions, with several countries designating them as "hybrid attack" operations designed to test European defence responsiveness.

The French military has not disclosed details about the drones' origin, flight patterns or duration of the incursion at Mourmelon-le-Grand. Authorities are continuing to investigate the security breach, according to reports.

European defence officials are coordinating responses to what appears to be a coordinated campaign of drone surveillance targeting critical infrastructure and military installations across the continent, with a meeting of EU member states over a proposed "drone wall" set for Friday.