Germany to Blame Russia For Airport Drone Incident: Reports

German authorities are reportedly poised to officially hold Russia accountable for a recent incident involving a drone carrying explosives at a critical airport in eastern Germany. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt are scheduled to make public statements later in the day, according to German media outlets, including Bild and Der Spiegel.

NATO member Germany, which backs Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, has been alleging for some time that Moscow is orchestrating a series of hybrid attacks, comprising espionage and sabotage. However, Russia has consistently denied these claims.

The Leipzig airport incident on the night of August 4-5 sparked heightened concern due to the presence of the explosive-laden drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane. Police managed to defuse the device using a robot, and a second drone was discovered near the airport a few weeks later, also harboring traces of an explosive substance.

The eastern German airport serves a vital purpose in the transport of military goods, including those belonging to the German military and NATO allies, and also functions as a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines. Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently remarked that Germany has become an increasingly frequent target of hybrid attackers.

Nevertheless, Berlin has refrained from explicitly blaming Russia, instead attributing the possibility of foreign powers' involvement. On August 25, Merz had threatened that the perpetrators of hybrid attacks against Germany would face consequences, without specifying the target.

Der Spiegel reported that potential countermeasures might entail expelling Russian diplomats and shutting down Russia’s consulate in Bonn. There has also been significant debate about whether Germany should close a Russian cultural center in Berlin, believed by security services to be an intelligence hub. Known as the Russian House of Science and Culture, this seven-story building, opened in 1984, is situated near the Russian embassy.

Conservative lawmaker and security policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter suggested that the facility likely serves as a hub for espionage, housing over 100 individuals with unknown identities and displaying an unusually high power consumption. He alleged the building is equipped with technical surveillance equipment and inhabited by individuals hostile toward Germany.