Germany Investigates Explosive Drone Found at Leipzig Airport

German federal prosecutors have launched an investigation after a drone equipped with professional explosives and a detonator was discovered near Ukrainian transport aircraft at Leipzig/Halle airport. The incident occurred late Tuesday evening at the facility, which serves as a strategic hub for NATO logistics and a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines. An airport employee spotted the drone and brought it to the ground before police arrived. Prosecutors stated that the drone did not detonate because the detonator was defective, though they described the event as a serious attack on transport and logistics infrastructure. Following the discovery, a cargo plane operated by DHL that had performed a go-around due to runway closures collided with an unidentified object, possibly a second drone, resulting in minor damage before the aircraft landed safely in Hanover.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened the national security council on August 7 to discuss the event. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a hybrid attack by foreign powers, although the German government has not officially named a specific country. The Russian embassy in Berlin has denied any involvement, calling the incident a fabricated provocation designed to serve the interests of Ukraine and the militarist wing of the European political class. The embassy further warned of a new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany.

Political reactions to the event vary. Some lawmakers, including members of the Green Party and the CDU, have suggested Russian state terrorism or a lack of rules in Russia's geopolitical play. Conversely, the Russian embassy claims the incident was staged by Ukraine to secure more financial and military aid from Europe. In a separate incident, two drones were also sighted over a Bundeswehr military base in Mechernich, North Rhine-Westphalia, where Patriot air defense systems are maintained.