German police are investigating an incident at Leipzig airport this night. An investigation by German media NDR, WDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" shows that airport officials found a modified drone, which is believed to have been in the immediate vicinity of an "Antonov" transport plane.
A confidential police report, which journalists have seen, reports that an "unidentified substance" - most likely an explosive - was attached to the aircraft. The report also says that the substance had a "detonator". A NATO spokesman confirmed that the plane the drone was next to was Ukrainian. The first information about this incident came from the German tabloid "Bild". A controlled explosion was carried out by sappers to neutralize the drone, and the work at the airport was temporarily suspended.
A plane collided with another object
The police report also reports that there was another incident at the airport, writes ARD. A cargo plane, which was unable to land at Leipzig Airport due to its temporary suspension of operations, collided with another object several hundred meters above the airport. The plane landed in Hanover, where police found that the fuselage of the plane was damaged.
The Lower Saxony police have classified the case as a possible crime against state security, the German public media reports. A DHL spokesman said the plane had collided with an "object".
Leipzig airport is considered a transport hub for military equipment, including for Ukraine. Just two years ago, there was another serious incident at the same airport - a package destined for the UK caught fire at a DHL logistics center. The investigation found that it was an operation by Russian special services. Five people are currently on trial in Lithuania, accused of being members of an alleged sabotage network that committed these crimes.
More and more drone incidents
Since the beginning of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, Germany has also seen more and more drone incidents, as well as an increase in cases of espionage against critical infrastructure and military facilities. In the first half of the year alone, the German air traffic control service recorded 145 cases of disruptions at and around German airports caused by unauthorized drone flights. In most cases, the authorities were unable to identify the drone pilots.
In July, a 37-year-old Moldovan man was arrested in Bavaria on suspicion of spying on a weapons factory with a drone. The man was arrested following a tip-off from citizens while he was near the company's premises. The Munich public prosecutor's office is investigating, and security sources say the suspect may have been acting on behalf of Russian authorities.
Authors: Jörg Dill (WDR) | Florian Flade (WDR) | Roman Leberger (WDR)