Germany is prepared to officially blame Russia for an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport in August, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The German government is also contemplating new sanctions against Moscow in coordination with its allies.
Airport workers discovered a drone carrying explosives and a detonator at the facility in August. Leipzig/Halle airport is a significant civilian freight and NATO logistics hub in eastern Germany, and it serves as a base for several large Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft.
Prior to this, Germany had not explicitly blamed Russia, instead characterizing the incident as part of a broader hybrid war targeting Europe. Relations between Russia and Western nations have deteriorated significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed media reports that the government intended to assign blame to Russia and potentially implement further sanctions. Details regarding the proposed sanctions were not disclosed.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, during a visit to Algeria, stopped short of a full confirmation but indicated that new measures against Russia were under consideration. He is scheduled to hold a press conference upon his return to Germany with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. "There is no overreaction on our part, but there is a response when we are attacked," Wadephul stated. "Russia must understand that Germany is a stabilizing force in Europe — one that is always ready to negotiate but will not be intimidated in any way."
The Russian embassy has not yet provided a comment. Previously, it has dismissed similar accusations as "fabricated provocations" and a "new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany."
European intelligence officials have been monitoring incidents they describe as Russian sabotage operations across Europe, aimed at undermining NATO unity and diminishing member states' support for Ukraine. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the German chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Security and Defence, urged for Russia to be unequivocally identified as the orchestrator of the attempted attack. "I believe we need to call a spade a spade and acknowledge that Russia is behind this," she said, advocating for such events to be classified as "actual attacks" rather than solely "hybrid attacks."
