- Two drones were spotted flying over a German military base in Mechernich around 10 p.m. on Thursday, just two days after a drone with explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport, according to the German Armed Forces.
- The drone with explosives was discovered shortly before midnight on Tuesday at Leipzig/Halle Airport, a major hub for international freight, and was later defused.
- Military police forces were deployed to the site of the drone sightings, which were confirmed by the German Armed Forces.
- The Euskirchen police department has opened an investigation into the drone incidents.
- The Russian Embassy in Germany described the Leipzig drone incident as part of a 'new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany' on Friday.
- The U.S. officials have assessed that the drone found at Leipzig/Halle Airport is of Russian origin, indicating a potential escalation in provocative actions by Russia.
- Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging numerous attacks and incidents across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine over four years ago.
Two drones were spotted over a German military base in Mechernich on Thursday night, just two days after a drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The German Armed Forces confirmed the sightings, which were reported by security surveillance around 10 p.m.1
The Euskirchen police department has opened an investigation into the incidents. The drone at Leipzig/Halle, a major hub for international freight, was discovered shortly before midnight on Tuesday and was defused. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as posing a “new quality of danger.”4
U.S. officials have assessed the explosive-laden drone to be of Russian origin, raising alarms about potential provocations from Russia amid ongoing tensions in Europe. The Leipzig/Halle Airport is crucial for NATO operations, supporting missions along the eastern flank from Finland to Romania.6
The recent drone sightings and the explosive incident come as Western officials accuse Russia and its proxies of increasing attacks and sabotage across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine over four years ago. The Russian Embassy in Germany has dismissed the drone incident as part of a “new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany.”57
“The drone found at Leipzig/Halle was defused, but German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the incident a 'new quality of danger.' The airport hosts NATO's SALIS, which delivers equipment to battle groups from Finland to Romania, and U.S. officials assess the device to be of Russian origin.”
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