Germany's Merz warns attackers will 'pay price' after drone incident
A drone attack on Leipzig Airport highlights the "very real threat" faced by the country, the German chancellor says.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has cautioned that those behind drone attacks and other hostile acts against Germany, including a recent incident at Leipzig Airport, will face consequences. Merz emphasized that Germany is experiencing a genuine threat and is becoming a more frequent target. On August 4th, a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, near Ukrainian cargo planes.
Fortunately, the detonator was faulty, and the explosives were defused. Police suspect a second drone may have collided with a cargo aircraft nearby. While the German government has not named any specific culprits, Moscow has denied involvement. Leipzig/Halle Airport is crucial for German military and NATO operations, as well as logistics for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.
Merz stated that the government is collaborating with security authorities and will provide more information soon. He vowed to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. The government is implementing additional measures to bolster protection against such attacks, such as enhanced drone defenses and plans to enable security services to retaliate against attackers globally.
Germany has witnessed numerous unauthorized drone flights over critical facilities in recent months, including military bases, airports, energy terminals, seaports, and logistics companies. Authorities have cautioned that these overflights might have been orchestrated by Russian agents.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
