Irish police said on Friday, December 5th they were investigating the sighting of several unidentified drones in flight, just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plane landed in Dublin on official business.
Europe has been on heightened alert in recent months as mysterious UAV flights over airports and sensitive infrastructure have spooked the continent.
Concerns are growing that such disruptions could be part of Russian hybrid war tactics three-and-a-half years into its invasion of Ukraine, with Kyiv backed by European countries—including Ireland.
Zelensky arrived in Ireland for his first official visit late Monday, flying in from Paris after talks with French president Emmanuel Macron.
Irish daily The Journal first reported that several military-style drones had been spotted by an Irish navy ship operating near the flight path of Zelensky’s plane as it approached Ireland’s coast.
A no-flight zone was in effect around Dublin at the time.
According to Irish police, the
special detective Unit (SDU) is investigating this matter. As part of this, SDU will be liaising with the Defence Forces and international security partners.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin told public broadcaster RTE that he would hold a national security meeting on the incident by the end of the month.
A French source told AFP on Friday that the French military had taken anti-drone measures one day earlier after five unmanned vehicles flew over a nuclear submarine base.
Drones have also been spotted over airports and other infrastructure in countries including Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, and the UK.
Poland said in September that it had shot down three Russian drones. Moscow denied targeting the country.
