Germany Finds Third Explosive Drone Near Leipzig Airport as Chancellor Vows Retribution
15 sources across 10 countries
Who reported this
- Der Spiegel
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Deutsche Welle
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
- UOL
- CNN Brasil
- Financial Times
- Reuters
- Infobae
- Politico Europe
- Telex
- ANSA
- Aftenposten
- Daily Maverick
- Bloomberg
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.
German investigators have discovered a third drone and suspected military explosives near Leipzig/Halle Airport, following an attempted attack on August 4. The latest device was found on August 14 in a field in Kabelsketal, west of the airport. Reports from NDR, WDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung indicate that investigators found approximately 50 grams of a substance suspected to be hexogen, a military explosive, at the scene. The first drone was discovered on August 4 near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft used for transporting military supplies. A second drone is suspected to have collided with a DHL cargo plane shortly after the airport was temporarily closed. However, Der Spiegel reports that investigators are now skeptical about the DHL collision, noting that organic traces on the aircraft suggest a bird strike instead.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the incidents on Tuesday before a cabinet retreat in Neuhardenberg. He stated that Germany has become a target for hybrid attackers who are increasingly unscrupulous and prepared to accept serious property damage or casualties. Merz vowed that those responsible will pay a price and announced that the government will shortly identify the perpetrators. To counter such threats, the government is reforming the BND and has established a new drone defense center in Magdeburg.
While the German government has used the term hybrid attack and referred to a foreign power, security sources cited by multiple outlets suspect the involvement of Russian intelligence. Moscow has denied any involvement in the incidents. The Leipzig airport is a critical logistics hub for NATO and Antonov Airlines for the shipment of military supplies to Ukraine.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasized the specific details of the investigation, including the skepticism regarding the DHL collision and the broader context of hybrid warfare.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the factual discovery of the drones and the official statements made by Chancellor Merz regarding hybrid threats.
- Centre-right
- These outlets highlighted the strategic importance of the airport to NATO and the likely involvement of Russian intelligence.
Sources
- Centre ANSA: Media, a third drone emerges in the attack on Leipzig, explosives on board
- Centre-right Aftenposten: Third drone with explosives found at Leipzig airport
- Centre-right Aftenposten: Those responsible for the Leipzig attack shall pay, says Merz
- Centre Bloomberg: Merz Says Drone Perpetrators ‘Will Pay a Price’ for Attack Attempt
- Centre CNN Brasil: Germany finds 3rd drone and explosives after attack attempt, newspaper says
- Centre-left Daily Maverick: Germany to say who's behind attempted airport drone attack soon, says Merz
- Centre-left Der Spiegel: Leipzig/Halle: Investigators find further drone and explosives at the airport
- Centre Deutsche Welle: Germany news: Third drone found in Leipzig airport probe
- Centre Financial Times: Another drone found at Leipzig airport as Germany warns of ‘unscrupulous’ attacks
- Centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine: Germany Live Blog: Merz after further drone find: "They will pay for it"
- Centre-right Infobae: Merz says authors of hybrid attacks like the one at Leipzig airport will pay for it
- Centre-right Infobae: A third drone found near Leipzig airport, in Germany
- Centre Politico Europe: Germany ‘under threat,’ Merz says after another explosive drone found near airport
- Centre Reuters: Germany to say who's behind attempted airport drone attack soon, says Merz - Reuters
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Federal Politics: Merz on drone incident in Leipzig: "They will pay for it"
- Centre Telex: Another drone and suspected explosives found in the case of the attempted attack on Leipzig airport
- Centre-left UOL: Germany finds 3rd drone with explosives at Leipzig airport
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.