Germany accused Russia of responsibility for last month’s unusual incident at Leipzig Airport, where an armed drone carrying explosives was found inside a secure area near the runway used by cargo planes and next to a Ukrainian Antonov aircraft, according to a CNN report.
2+The drone was discovered during the night of August 4, and a bomb disposal robot removed its activation mechanism. A U.S. security official in Europe told CNN that “the drone carried military-grade explosives, and according to American assessment it was linked to a Russian intelligence service.”
A day later, another incident occurred in the area when a flying object struck a cargo plane, causing minor damage. The plane continued its flight and landed safely in Hanover. German media later reported that a third drone was found in a field near the airport, heightening suspicions that this wasn’t an isolated incident.
2+Following these developments, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced raising the country’s threat level from “general” to “high.” According to him, “We are not at war, but we are a daily target of hybrid attacks.”
Germany also announced a series of measures against Moscow, including closing the Russian consulate in Bonn and shutting down the “Russian House” cultural center in Berlin. Additionally, authorities are expected to tighten oversight of Russian citizens entering the country.
2+Russia rejected the accusations. President Vladimir Putin claimed that Germany planted evidence to pin responsibility on Moscow, but provided no proof for the claim. Russia’s ambassador to Germany called the accusations “baseless, absurd and irrational” and warned of retaliatory measures.