German investigators are following leads to Serbia and Poland as part of their investigation into an explosive-laden drone discovered at Leipzig Airport, with authorities examining possible links to Russian intelligence services.
According to reporting by Der Spiegel, one of the suspects identified so far is allegedly connected to an arson attack on a building materials store in the Polish city of Łódź in July 2024.
Security sources cited by Spiegel said the suspect is also believed to have had contacts with Russian intelligence services.
Investigators are additionally examining possible links between the Leipzig incident and a case uncovered at the Serbian-Hungarian border.
On June 11, Serbian security forces arrested two people — one Serbian citizen and another holding Serbian and Russian citizenship. The suspects allegedly possessed components of a modified drone, transmission equipment used to control it, and two food cans filled with explosives.
According to investigative sources, the components seized in Serbia bear similarities to those found on the drone discovered at Leipzig Airport. In both cases, explosives were reportedly concealed inside a food can and connected to a drone.
Two suspects arrested in Serbia remain in custody
The two people arrested at the Serbian-Hungarian border remain in detention. German authorities are examining whether they had links to an individual suspected of also playing a role in the Leipzig case.
The German incident occurred on the evening of August 4, when an explosive-laden drone was discovered at Leipzig Airport. Several Ukrainian transport aircraft were reportedly located nearby at the time.
Leipzig Airport is considered an important logistics hub for the transportation and distribution of military assistance to Ukraine amid its war against Russia.
The German investigation is now examining a potential network of connections stretching from Serbia and Poland to Germany, while investigators are also focusing on suspected contacts with Russian intelligence services.
Authorities have not publicly established that Russia was responsible for the Leipzig incident. The investigation remains ongoing, and the alleged links between the suspects and Russian intelligence have yet to be conclusively established.
