A political storm has broken out in Belgium after Defense Minister Theo Francken publicly floated Russia as a possible actor behind the wave of drone intrusions targeting military installations, airports, and critical infrastructure, despite the absence of any evidence linking Moscow to the operations.

Francken’s remarks came on Saturday as the country struggles to explain a series of high-altitude drone flights that have been recorded since October 10 over several sensitive sites, including the Kleine Brogel Air Base, which is widely believed to store US B61 tactical nuclear weapons under NATO’s nuclear-sharing framework. Earlier this month, the Defense Ministry confirmed that three large drones conducted what it described as a “clear surveillance mission” over Kleine Brogel, evading electronic-warfare jamming and escaping police helicopters after flying several kilometers north.

The minister has argued on X that “quite a few people on social media also seem annoyed by the fact that eyes are turning to Russia. But evidently, Russia is a plausible suspect ... Russia certainly has the capabilities to organize such operations.” Francken provided no supporting evidence, a point that has fueled criticism from political rivals who accuse him of amplifying speculation at a delicate time.

The probe has expanded as drones continue to appear over airbases such as Florennes, Marche-en-Famenne, and Elsenborn, in addition to overflights of power infrastructure and civilian airspace. The most disruptive incidents occurred on November 4 and 5, when drone sightings forced Brussels International Airport to suspend departures and arrivals, with similar disruptions reported in Charleroi and Liege earlier in the week.

🚨🇧🇪 Meanwhile over Belgium

This week a number of Belgium Airports have stopped flights because of the Mystery Drones - this one was just filmed this evening. pic.twitter.com/m2UXiiDWbj

— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) November 7, 2025

Russia has dismissed Francken’s insinuation outright. The Russian Embassy in Brussels told VRT that Moscow is prepared for “professional consultations” with Belgian authorities “without fanning passions or resorting to megaphone diplomacy,” stressing that Russia “has nothing to do with drone flights over military bases in the country.”

The security services have not identified any perpetrators, and none of the drones have been captured or brought down, leaving the origins of the incursions as murky as ever. The repeated violations have nevertheless pushed Belgium into a broader strategic debate, with government officials openly considering whether the pattern warrants invoking NATO’s Article 4, which would trigger formal consultations among allied states.

For now, investigators remain empty-handed, political tensions continue to rise, and the country’s most sensitive military sites remain under heightened surveillance as the mystery drones keep slipping through Belgian airspace without explanation.

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