A drone packed with explosives was discovered at Leipzig Airport near Ukrainian cargo planes carrying ammunition, narrowly averting a catastrophe. German officials are investigating potential state involvement, with suspicions directed at Russia amid fears of election interference.
The incident at Leipzig Airport represents a significant escalation in suspected hybrid warfare tactics, potentially impacting upcoming German regional elections and highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to state-sponsored sabotage.
A drone packed with explosives was discovered at Leipzig Airport, narrowly averting a catastrophe and intensifying fears of Russian interference in upcoming German regional elections. German officials are treating the incident as a "professional hybrid threat scenario" with "foreign powers" as likely perpetrators, though they have stopped short of directly blaming Moscow.
One of the Ukrainian cargo planes parked near where the drone was found was loaded with military ammunition, according to a classified police report. The drone itself, described as having a handmade remote detonator that failed to function, contained a powerful plastic explosive and appeared to have been modified to circumvent the airport's detection systems.
Leipzig Airport's role as a NATO and German military logistics hub, and as the European base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines, has directed suspicion toward Russia. German and European authorities have previously accused Russia of carrying out sabotage attacks. Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament's intelligence committee, directly blamed Russia, calling the incident an "attempted act of terrorism orchestrated by Russia."
The discovery led to the temporary suspension of air traffic and a diversion for a DHL cargo plane. Reports suggest a second drone may have struck this DHL plane, causing minor damage before it made an emergency landing elsewhere. Leipzig Airport has been a target of previous incidents linked to Russian intelligence, including a July 2024 firebomb plot involving parcels sent via DHL.