- Drone carrying explosives discovered at Leipzig airport near Ukrainian cargo planes, potentially averting a catastrophe with multiple casualties, according to German officials.
- One of the Ukrainian aircrafts next to where the bomb drone was found was loaded with military ammunition, according to a classified police report.
- Interior minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that a ripped detonator prevented the device from going off near Ukrainian cargo planes on the tarmac.
- Investigators are examining whether a foreign state, likely Russia, was behind the plot, as Dobrindt described it as a 'professional hybrid threat scenario'.
- Leipzig airport is a NATO and German military logistics hub, which has directed suspicion toward Russia, known for repeated sabotage attacks.
- The highly explosive cargo, with a tank filled with jet fuel, had apparently been transported from France to Leipzig shortly beforehand.
- The Bild newspaper reported that the drone found near the Ukrainian plane had a handmade remote detonator that did not work, which could provide clues to its origin.
- Kiesewetter, a member of the co-ruling Christian Democrats, stated that the attempted drone attack was a targeted hybrid attack, possibly orchestrated by Russia.
A catastrophe with multiple casualties was possibly only narrowly averted by the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig airport, German officials reported. The drone was found near a Ukrainian aircraft loaded with military ammunition, raising serious concerns about a potential foreign state plot.1245
The interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, noted that only an apparently “ripped” detonator had prevented the device from detonating near the cargo planes at this critical shipping and military hub. The drone, which had a handmade remote detonator that failed to work, is under investigation for clues regarding its origin and the culprits involved.3
The highly explosive cargo, reportedly transported from France, was likely intended for onward transport. Leipzig airport's role as a NATO and German military logistics hub has led authorities to suspect Russia, which has been accused of conducting repeated sabotage attacks in Europe. Dobrindt emphasized that investigators are treating the incident as part of a “professional hybrid threat scenario”, focusing on “foreign powers” as likely perpetrators.6
Kiesewetter, a member of the co-ruling Christian Democrats, stated, “I consider the threat posed by hybrid attacks orchestrated by Russia to be serious”, suggesting that the attempted drone attack was a targeted act of terrorism orchestrated by foreign entities.8
“Interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said a ripped detonator prevented the device from detonating near Ukrainian cargo planes, calling it a 'professional hybrid threat scenario' with focus on 'foreign powers'. Leipzig's role as a Nato logistics hub and base for Antonov Airlines has directed suspicion toward Russia.”
The Guardian
