Germany has said Russia was behind a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany last month, after officials reviewed equipment used in the incident and intelligence assessments.
The attack was discovered on 4 August, when a drone carrying an explosive device was found at the airport near Ukrainian cargo aircraft. The device did not detonate, with investigators concluding that the detonator was faulty.
German authorities said they believe a second drone then collided with a nearby cargo aircraft, while a third drone was reportedly found at the site ten days later.
Drone Attack At Leipzig/Halle Airport
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the episode followed what he described as a long-established pattern of Russian “hybrid operations” in Europe, adding that Germany had assumed it could be targeted again.
He said the examination of the explosive equipment, together with intelligence findings, showed Russian involvement.
Germany has previously said it believed “foreign powers” could be behind the Leipzig incident but had not publicly identified Russia.
German Response And Russian Retaliation
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany would take further steps against Moscow. He said he would order the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and terminate the contract for the Russian House in Berlin, a venue that many observers have linked to espionage and Russian propaganda.
Wadephul also announced tighter entry controls for Russian nationals and said Germany would increase pressure on Russia’s “shadow fleet” — old tankers used to help circumvent Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
He said he had summoned Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev, after the announcement. Nechayev was seen arriving at Germany’s foreign ministry shortly afterwards.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, said Moscow would respond in a “mirror-image” manner to Germany’s measures, and told the German Press Agency that Berlin was “sponsoring terrorism” in reference to military and economic support for Ukraine.
Russia has consistently rejected allegations of involvement in such attacks.
Reactions In NATO And The EU
Nato chief Mark Rutte said the alliance was “in full solidarity with Germany”, adding that the evidence was clear and that he welcomed the steps announced by Berlin. He posted the comment on X.
The measures were expected to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland later on Tuesday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X that the EU would stand against Russian aggression and deter those seeking to undermine European freedom and security, adding that additional sanctions against Russia were being prepared.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Russia was “escalating tension across the whole region”. Polish prosecutors are investigating whether foreign intelligence services were involved in a fire at a factory making drone components on Monday.
In the UK, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russian efforts to undermine support for Ukraine were “futile and doomed to fail”.
Other Security Incidents And Politics
Leipzig/Halle Airport is used for military transport involving Germany and Nato allies, and it is also a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines, which carries most of the country’s air freight.
Germany has reported drone sightings at airports, military and industrial sites over the past year. Chancellorship security officials have warned that Germany is a “daily target” for hybrid warfare, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week that those carrying out hostile acts would “pay a price”. The government has said it is looking to strengthen intelligence powers, which critics have described as limited.
The announcement comes as Merz faces political pressure at home. A key state election in Saxony-Anhalt could give the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) a state-level role for the first time. The AfD, Germany’s largest opposition party, wants to stop sending support to Ukraine and to reopen ties with Russia. An MP from Merz’s CDU, Roderich Kiesewetter, said the steps taken so far “fall far short” and that Moscow “just laughs” when the ambassador is summoned.
Separately on Tuesday, German police said they are investigating the discovery of improvised explosive and incendiary devices at a power substation in Brandenburg. A power line was damaged, causing a temporary outage, and it is not known who planted the devices.
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2 September 2026
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