German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt speaks of a "new level of danger" and "hybrid attack scenario": On Tuesday evening, a drone with an explosive device attached was found at Leipzig-Halle Airport. The investigation revealed that it was probably a high explosive of the type used for military purposes. It is still unclear who is responsible for the alleged attack attempt. The drone was in the vicinity of cargo planes belonging to a Ukrainian airline. Military transports for NATO also take place through Leipzig Airport.
The German media WDR, NDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" report that one of the "Antonov" cargo planes, next to which the drone with explosives was found, was loaded with military ammunition, which, it seems, had been transported from France to Leipzig shortly before and was probably intended for further transport. This is stated in a confidential police report. Explosive device disposal experts from the Saxony State Criminal Police were able to remove the detonator in order to carry out further checks on the drone. A fist-sized package of explosives was attached to it. Multiple tests of the substance indicate that it is probably "Semtex" – explosive used in both military and industrial settings.
Modified to bypass protection
According to investigators, airport officials spotted a drone at around 11:42 p.m. last Tuesday evening as it moved in the air between two Antonov cargo planes of the Ukrainian state airline.
According to the official report, there was then a "contact between the drone and an employee". The drone subsequently landed on the ground, ARD reports. The anti-drone system, which was apparently installed at Leipzig-Halle Airport, failed to detect the aircraft. Federal Interior Minister Dobrindt said that the perpetrators had probably modified the drone to deliberately bypass the protection systems.
According to information received by WDR, NDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung", investigators have already been able to analyze the recordings from the airport's surveillance cameras. An examination of the camera recordings at the security control center - the airport's monitoring and coordination center - showed that the drone apparently entered the airport from the south at 7:28 p.m. and subsequently landed. The video footage seen by journalists does not show the drone taking off again. However, it appears that a few hours later, when the airport employee spotted it, the drone was in the air at low altitude among parked Ukrainian cargo planes.
According to the Ministry of Defense, there were no Bundeswehr military aircraft at the airport at the time. Leipzig-Halle Airport is considered an important transport hub and logistics center for the armed forces. According to official data, Ukraine has also been using the airport as an alternative location for transporting military cargo since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022.
Jörg Dill (WDR) | Florian Flade (WDR) | Roman Leberger (WDR)