American intelligence experts believe Russia was responsible for a drone laden with explosives that struck a German airport in Leipzig last week, according to US media reports, though Berlin has not publicly identified who it thinks was behind the attack.
American intelligence experts believe Russia was behind an attack last week on a German airport involving a drone carrying explosives, US media have reported. The Guardian noted that Berlin has remained silent on the likely culprit even as the reports circulated.
The incident took place at an airport in the eastern German city of Leipzig. According to the reporting, the attack involved a drone laden with explosives, prompting a security emergency.
The seriousness of the episode drew a swift response from Germany’s interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, who broke off his summer holiday in Italy and rushed to the scene in Leipzig.
Dobrindt spoke of a “new level of danger” for Germany, underscoring official concern about the nature of the threat.
Despite the US media reports pointing to Russia, the German government declined to say who it thought was responsible, according to the Guardian.
The reports link the attack to broader security concerns, though official attribution from Berlin had not been made public at the time of reporting.
Why it matters
An explosives-carrying drone striking a German airport, combined with US intelligence assessments pointing to Russia, signals a potential escalation in security threats on European soil. How Berlin responds to such assessments could shape the wider relationship between Western governments and Moscow.