Germany blames Russia for attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport
Berlin says it will shut down a Russian consulate and take other actions, citing ‘hybrid attacks’ by Moscow
The German government on Tuesday blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month using a drone laden with explosives, and announced that it would shut down a Russian consulate among other measures.
The drone was found near a Ukrainian plane on August 4 and the device was defused. German officials said at the time that the incident posed a new level of danger.
Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilising European nations.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said authorities found elements such as the drone configuration, components, explosives and detonator that are “known to us from other Russian hybrid operations and its war against Ukraine”. He said the device pointed to “a high degree of technical expertise” and painstaking planning, but carrying out the plan appears to have been left to “low-level” agents.
Dobrindt told reporters that intelligence points to “people being involved who acted on behalf of Russian state entities”, though he didn’t specify which ones. “Taken together, the police investigations, the pattern and intelligence findings prove a Russian responsibility for the attempted attack at Leipzig airport.”
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that “with the attempted attack in Leipzig, the Russian leadership decided deliberately to do significant damage again to our already massively burdened bilateral relationship”. He said the Russian consulate in Bonn will be closed effective September 18. The Russian House cultural centre in Berlin also will be closed, though that may take some time.