Germany faces daily 'hybrid warfare' attacks, minister warns after explosive drone found at airport

Germany is grappling with frequent hybrid warfare assaults originating from abroad, warned Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Sunday following a suspected attack using an explosive drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Dobrindt stated in an interview with Bild am Sonntag that foreign entities aim to politically and socially weaken Germany by instilling fear.

The country isn't at war, but it faces daily hybrid warfare, Dobrindt asserted, encompassing espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, and covert operations by external powers seeking to destabilize or harm Germany. The press release did not disclose any specific countries implicated. Following the discovery of the explosive drone at the eastern German airport on Tuesday, some German lawmakers accused Russia, which has been at war with Ukraine since 2022.

The Russian embassy in Berlin discredited the Leipzig event as a fabricated provocation, attributing it to unfounded accusations against Russia. Dobrindt, a member of the conservative Christian Social Union, described the Leipzig incident as a hybrid attack scenario, leaving open the possibility of foreign involvement. Germany's armed forces reported spotting two drones over a German military base in North Rhine-Westphalia on Saturday. In response to these threats, Germany is expanding its drone research capabilities.