U.S. intelligence believes Russia was involved in the drone carrying explosives at Leipzig Airport
U.S. intelligence believes that Russia—an aggressor state—may be involved in the incident involving a drone loaded with explosives at the Leipzig/Halle Airport. The Guardian reported this, citing U.S. officials. German authorities have not yet publicly identified those responsible for the incident.
A quadcopter carrying Semtex plastic explosives was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as part of a “professional hybrid threat scenario” carried out by a well-equipped foreign actor. He also spoke of a “new level of danger” for Germany.
According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports believe the drone likely belonged to the Russian government. CNN, citing a U.S. Defense Department official in Europe, reported that Washington had concluded the drone originated from Russian intelligence. According to the official, the explosive material on the drone could indicate it came from a military manufacturer.
German officials stated that the drone flew past the airport’s security systems and remained on its grounds for approximately four hours. It was spotted by an airport shuttle driver who was transporting passengers at night, and he reported the incident. Authorities warned that the incident could have resulted in numerous casualties.
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That same night, a DHL cargo plane—which had been forced to abort its landing due to the drone’s detection—collided in mid-air with an unidentified object while climbing. The plane, sustaining minor damage, landed safely at a different location. Investigators now believe it may have collided with a second hostile drone.
The following day, drones were spotted over a military facility in western Germany, where components of the U.S. Patriot air defense systems are stationed. Against the backdrop of the growing threat, Germany’s Interior Ministry plans to double the size of the federal expert group on countering drones—to 300 people—and increase the number of its operational bases from four to eight.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin called the allegations of Moscow’s involvement in the Leipzig incident a “hasty and fabricated provocation.” At the same time, German officials have not leveled any specific accusations against Russia at this stage of the investigation.
