German counterterrorism authorities are investigating an explosive-laden drone discovered overnight at Leipzig/Halle Airport, with officials treating the incident as a potentially deliberate attack.
An airport employee found the drone carrying an explosive device late Tuesday in a restricted cargo area, according to the Dresden Public Prosecutor’s Office and Saxony state police. A bomb disposal robot was deployed to examine the device before officers removed its detonator and rendered it safe.
The device reportedly failed to detonate because its detonator did not function. According to German media outlet WELT, the drone was found only meters from a Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft and contained Semtex, a powerful explosive.
Authorities have internally classified the incident as an attempted attack, according to WELT. No suspects had been detained as of Wednesday evening.
The discovery temporarily disrupted operations at Leipzig airport, with flights suspended and several aircraft diverted.
One of the diverted aircraft, a DHL cargo plane, reportedly struck another unidentified object while climbing after takeoff. The aircraft subsequently landed at Hanover Airport, where officials found signs of impact on its nose.
Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt cut short his vacation in Italy to travel to Leipzig and meet with officials following the incident.
Saxony Interior Minister Armin Schuster described the discovery as a “very serious security incident.”
The proximity of the drone to a Ukrainian aircraft has raised concerns about a possible connection to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, suggested Russia could be behind the incident, while emphasizing that German authorities must first establish the facts.
“I hope that all the authorities in Germany will now establish the facts as well. But who else could it have been besides Russia?” Makeiev said in an interview with WELT TV.
Russia’s embassy in Germany did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Leipzig/Halle is a major European logistics hub and DHL’s largest European air hub. The airport also serves as a maintenance base for some Ukrainian Antonov aircraft, adding further significance to the security investigation.
The case comes amid heightened concerns in Germany over suspicious drone activity around sensitive infrastructure, including airports, military facilities and logistics sites.
