Germany to Accuse Russian Intelligence of Drone Attack on Cargo Plane

Berlin is preparing to formally accuse Russian intelligence services of orchestrating an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle airport in early August, according to security sources cited by a German newspaper on Tuesday.

The German interior and foreign ministers are expected to make the announcement on Tuesday, the Bild newspaper reported, citing security sources. The report follows earlier weekend coverage by other German media outlets that the government was leaning toward holding Moscow responsible for the incident at the major air freight hub.

German officials have previously said that "foreign powers" could be behind the attempted attack, though some lawmakers have openly pointed to Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Russian embassy in Berlin has dismissed such accusations as "fabricated provocation" and part of a "new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany."

Neither the German interior ministry nor a government spokesperson would comment on the Bild report, and the foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The government is also expected to outline countermeasures against Moscow in response to the incident.