Germany describes Leipzig drone incident as 'hybrid threat'
The German government has said there is not yet enough evidence to confirm Russia's involvement in the discovery of a drone with explosives near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle airport, while US intelligence believes the drone may be linked to the Russian government.
Germany has described the Leipzig drone incident as a "hybrid threat." German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters on a trip to Thuringia on August 19 that the federal government could not yet draw a clear conclusion about who was behind the drone found at Leipzig airport.
According to Dobrindt, the German government does not have enough confirmed information and grounds to make a one-sided assessment of the incident. "With its current actions, Russia is making it much easier to raise suspicions about it. But at the same time, it is extremely difficult to prove it," the minister said.
He said that once it is clear who was behind the drone found in Leipzig, a decision on possible countermeasures would be made. The issue is expected to be discussed with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Foreign Minister Johannes Wadeful and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The investigation into the incident is currently being carried out "at maximum intensity" with the participation of German special services.
Dobrindt also said that he did not consider the Leipzig incident to be an isolated incident. In his opinion, such actions could be part of a new type of hybrid threats aimed at politically and socially destabilizing Germany.
On the night of August 5, an unmanned aerial vehicle of unknown origin was detected near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle airport. According to information, the drone was equipped with explosives and a detonator. It has not yet been determined where the device came from and who it belongs to. However, US intelligence has suggested that the drone may be associated with the Russian government.
One of the aspects that attracted the attention of investigators is the highly professional preparation of the device. According to information, the drone was not purchased from an ordinary store, but was made for a special purpose. Its structure suggests that the preparation for the attack was not carried out by random criminals or amateurs.
In addition, the drone was equipped with a powerful explosive of the Semtex type. According to experts, the explosives contained in it could have been enough to cause serious damage to the plane, even to blow it up. According to Die Zeit, Semtex is also found on the black market, but this type of explosive is more often used for military purposes.
Therefore, one of the main versions that investigators are considering is that a state-linked structure may have been involved in the preparation of the possible attack. So far, German officials have stressed that there is not enough evidence to link this version to any state.