A Russian military aircraft has flown over a German Navy frigate in the Baltic Sea, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday, reported dpa.
"The incursion of Russian drones and warplanes deep in Polish and Estonian airspace and the overflight of a German frigate in the Baltic Sea within a few days make it clear that Russia is literally testing borders, including of NATO states, with increasing frequency and intensity," Pistorius said.
Overflights of ships are considered an unnecessary provocation.
The comments came as Pistorius called on lawmakers in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, to approve the Defence Ministry's budget for 2026.
The minister said Russian President Vladimir Putin "wants to provoke NATO member states and wants to identify, expose and exploit supposed weakness in the NATO alliance."
But he is making a mistake, Pistorius argued.
"The alliance has reacted to the Russian provocations with clear unity and determination, but at the same time with the necessary level-headedness that is particularly important these days."
The German government's proposals for the 2026 budget include €82.69 billion from core spending, with an additional €25.51 billion from a special military fund that was passed in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The figure compares to €62.43 billion in regular spending and €24.06 from the fund in 2025.
- Russian jet
- German Navy frigate
- Baltic Sea
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
