VIENNA — Russia was behind the failed explosive drone attack on Germany’s key Leipzig/Halle Airport last month, the authorities in Berlin announced on Tuesday, alongside measures designed to punish Moscow for its actions.
A nearly monthlong investigation identified telltale signs of a Russian hybrid warfare action, German investigators had found.
An explosive-laden drone fell near a Ukrainian cargo airplane used to shuttle munitions to the country at war in early August. It failed to detonate and was instead defused by a police bomb squad. German media later reported that two similar drones were found at or near the airport in the following days and weeks.
The airport at Leipzig/Halle plays a key logistical role in the supply of Ukraine and for NATO airlift operations.
“Taken together, police investigations, patterns of the act, and intelligence findings demonstrate Russian responsibility for the attempted attack at Leipzig Airport,” said German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt. “The Federal Government therefore concludes that Russia is responsible for the hybrid attack in Leipzig on August 4.”
In response, Germany will be closing Russia’s consulate general in Bonn, a 70,000 square meter complex that hosted Soviet intelligence rezidenturas during the Cold War, by Sept. 18. Berlin will also terminate the leases for the Russian House for Science and Culture in Berlin. In addition, German authorities will be implementing heightened scrutiny during immigration of Russian citizens and push for further visa restrictions for Russian people, particularly those tied to hybrid operations.
The German announcement was made jointly by the country’s ministers for interior and foreign affairs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the decisions a “grave mistake,” and accused the German government of falsifying evidence to distract from domestic political woes and Chancellor Merz’s poor popularity ratings.
Russia’s ambassador to Berlin, who had previously been summoned by the foreign ministry, said the “hastily concocted provocation at Leipzig airport” was the basis of “absurd” allegations.
The Russian foreign ministry has said it would “mirror” Germany’s actions, which is longstanding Russian policy. In the past, Russia has frequently responded to the expulsion of diplomats from a Western country by expelling a similar number of that country’s diplomats from Moscow. This often worked out in Russia’s favor, given Moscow’s numerical advantage in its diplomatic corps.
The European Union and NATO issued separate statements of support for and solidarity with Germany. Both organizations have scheduled high-level talks on the topic for Wednesday.
Linus Höller is Defense News' Europe correspondent and OSINT investigator. He reports on the arms deals, sanctions, and geopolitics shaping Europe and the world. He holds master’s degrees in WMD nonproliferation, terrorism studies, and international relations, and works in four languages: English, German, Russian, and Spanish.
