Key facts
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated Germany is facing "real threats" and increased scrutiny from hybrid attackers.
- Two explosive drones were found near Leipzig airport, an important NATO logistics base.
- German counterterrorism authorities have opened an investigation into the drone discoveries.
- The initial drone found on August 5 had a detonator that apparently failed.
- German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt suggested a state actor may be responsible.
- Proposed reforms aim to give Germany's intelligence services more leeway to counter threats.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Tuesday that Germany is "under threat" from hybrid attackers, citing the discovery of explosive drones near Leipzig airport as evidence of heightened risks. "Germany has come under increased scrutiny from hybrid attackers," Merz stated, emphasizing the "very real threats" the nation faces.
German counterterrorism authorities launched an investigation following the initial discovery of a drone carrying an explosive device on August 5. An airport worker found the device, which reportedly had a failed detonator. A second drone was reportedly found near the same airport, a significant logistics hub for NATO, on August 14.
While Merz did not directly attribute the attacks, he mentioned that "circumstantial evidence" points to the perpetrators and that findings would be presented soon. Earlier, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had suggested on August 6 that a state actor might be behind the incidents. The government is reportedly seeking to enhance the capabilities of its intelligence services to counter threats from adversaries like Russia, with German intelligence assessing that the country's security has significantly deteriorated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.