Drone carrying explosives found at German airport, police say

Police in Germany report that a drone carrying an explosive device has been discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, an airport of significant importance for military and NATO operations. The device was spotted near Ukrainian cargo planes by an employee overnight. A second unidentified object collided with a cargo aircraft near the same airport, causing minor damage.

The blast has prompted the interior minister of Germany to describe the incidents as a new level of threat. All flights on the northern runway have resumed, while the southern runway remains closed.

Germany's airports are currently on high alert following a series of unauthorized drone flights over sensitive locations such as military bases, airports, and logistics companies in recent months. Police have expressed concerns about potential Russian involvement, though Moscow has denied any involvement. Leipzig/Halle Airport, located in eastern Germany, is a key hub used by the German military and NATO allies for transporting military goods, as well as a major logistics center for DHL.

According to a police spokesman, the explosive-laden object was detected close to parked Antonov planes at the airport. The detonator was removed from the explosive device, and a controlled explosion was carried out by authorities. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that the situation reflects a professional, hybrid threat scenario and suggested that the investigation may reveal a possible competition involving foreign powers.

Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, attributed the incidents to Russia, a claim that Russia has denied.

Security experts have noted that such incidents have only emerged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Professor Peter R Neumann of King's College London stated that the recent "drone war" has reached Germany and exposed a long-known weakness. In July 2024, a parcel containing an explosive device exploded on the ground at Leipzig/Halle Airport, one of several parcel fires targeting the UK and EU countries, raising suspicions of potential Russian sabotage.

In 2023, a Chinese woman was convicted for passing on flight schedule and cargo movement information at Leipzig/Halle Airport to a man believed to be spying for Beijing.