A German military base has been cordoned off while authorities investigate suspected sabotage, the Defense Ministry said, and media reported that the water supply may have been disrupted.
The Köln-Vann base "has been cordoned off because there is a suspicion of attempted infiltration and sabotage," defence ministry spokesman Col. Arne Kolarz told reporters in Berlin.
Spiegel magazine reported that police and the German army's counterintelligence service were investigating the apparent break-in, with its sources saying a hole had been found in the fence.
Soldiers and civilians at the Bundeswehr base have been advised not to drink water from the tap, Spiegel added, due to concerns that the water supply "may be contaminated".
The Köln-Wan base, located near Köln-Bonn Airport, houses several military and civilian installations of the German armed forces, as well as aircraft used by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers for government travel.
According to Spiegel, about 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilians work at the site.
The base is also an important centre for military support to Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers regularly return from there via Poland after undergoing training in Germany, adds Spiegel. | BGNES
