Germany accuses Russia of attempted drone sabotage at Leipzig airport
Germany has officially accused Russia of an attempted attack after police defused an explosives-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport, German officials said on Tuesday.
Explosive drones at strategic logistics hub
An initial drone carrying explosive substances triggered a major security alert on the night of August 4 to 5, Euronews reported. A specialized bomb-disposal robot neutralised the device found in close proximity to a Ukrainian cargo aircraft, while a second drone with explosive traces was discovered near the same facility weeks later.
Leipzig/Halle Airport serves as a vital logistics artery for the Bundeswehr and NATO allies, while also functioning as an operational base for Ukrainian cargo carrier Antonov Airlines. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the incident “bears the hallmarks of Russian hybrid operations across Europe.”
Berlin weighs expulsions and diplomatic closures
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Germany “is increasingly in the crosshairs of hybrid attacks.” Merz had previously cautioned on August 25 that the perpetrators of hybrid actions against Germany “will pay for their actions.”
Berlin is now evaluating retaliatory measures, including the expulsion of Russian diplomats and the closure of Russia's consulate general in Bonn, Der Spiegel reported. German authorities are also actively deliberating the shutdown of the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin, which security services suspect serves as an espionage hub.
European sanctions push and Moldovan precedent
Speaking at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Ireland, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said Moscow is targeting Europe with a growing number of “kinetic hybrid attacks.”
“Through these actions, Russia is trying to intimidate us into ending our support for Ukraine. They will not succeed,” Kallas said, adding that the EU is “preparing its broadest sanctions package to date against Russia.”
Germany's scrutiny of Russian cultural centers reflects measures taken across Eastern Europe, notably in the Republic of Moldova. Moldovan authorities permanently closed the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Chișinău on July 4, 2026, after an explosives-laden Shahed drone crashed near civilian homes in southern Moldova in November 2025.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
