Drones were sighted over Belgium's Doel nuclear power plant near Antwerp for the first time on Sunday evening. Three aircraft were detected without disrupting operations. Neighboring countries like Germany and the UK are supporting Belgium in countering the threats.
Belgian authorities have been spotting drones over airports and military sites for days. On Sunday evening, three drones were first observed over the Doel nuclear power plant near Antwerp, according to a spokesperson for operator Engie. Operations at the facility were unaffected, and authorities were notified. Police declined to comment on the incident, as reported by news agency Belga.
The same evening, a drone sighting at Liège Airport led to a temporary suspension of flights for about 30 minutes to nearly an hour. This was the latest disruption in a series of incidents. Previously, drones were seen over the NATO military base Kleine-Brogel, which unconfirmed reports describe as a storage site for US nuclear weapons. Temporary halts also occurred at Brussels and Liège airports.
Belgium is receiving support from neighboring countries. Germany has been assisting since Friday with Bundeswehr Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) capabilities, as announced by the Defense Ministry. The UK is sending experts and equipment, said Richard Knighton, head of British military, to the BBC. The Belgian counterpart requested help, and personnel along with equipment are en route. Knighton provided no details on the equipment or number of personnel.
It remains unclear who is behind the sightings. Knighton pointed to Russia's involvement in hybrid warfare. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius linked the incidents to frozen Russian assets at Euroclear, used to fund loans to Ukraine. Russia denies any connection.