Germany Accuses Russia of Drone Attack Plot at Leipzig Airport
Germany blames Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August, citing hybrid operations and announcing closure of Russian consulate.
The German government has formally accused Russia of orchestrating an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month, where an explosive-laden drone was discovered near a Ukrainian aircraft. The device, found on the evening of August 4, was safely defused.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that the incident fits a known pattern of "Russian hybrid operations," and that the government has concluded Russia was responsible for the attack. The airport is a key hub for international freight and military support to Ukraine, hosting Ukrainian Antonov transport planes and serving as a base for NATO's Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS), which delivers equipment to alliance battle groups across Europe.
In response, Germany will close the Russian consulate in Bonn effective September 18 and terminate the contract for the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. The move follows a similar incident in 2024 when an incendiary device ignited at the airport's logistics center, which Western officials suspected was part of a Russian intelligence plot.
Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of running a sabotage campaign across Europe to undermine support for Ukraine and destabilize the region.