Germany to say who’s behind attempted airport drone attack soon: Merz

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that Germany is "under threat" following the discovery of additional explosive drones near Leipzig airport. Merz stated that the recent drone attacks demonstrate that Germany is facing "very real threats" from hybrid attackers. Investigations were launched on August 5 after an airport worker found a drone with an explosive device at Leipzig airport.

Another drone carrying a detonator was discovered on August 14 at the same location, which is a crucial logistics hub for NATO. Merz did not assign blame for the attacks, but said his government is conducting an in-depth investigation in collaboration with security agencies. According to Bild, Merz revealed in a private meeting on Monday that there is "circumstantial evidence" implicating the perpetrators of the crime.

The government is pushing for increased authority for intelligence services to counter threats from adversaries like Russia. Germany's security situation has significantly deteriorated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, as reported by a German intelligence document from the previous year. German spies operating under the BND, the country's foreign intelligence agency, could potentially carry out sabotage and launch offensive cyber operations under proposed reforms.