Germany says Russia behind Leipzig airport drone attack
Germany has officially attributed a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russia, citing a pattern of hybrid operations. In response, Germany plans to close a Russian consulate and terminate the contract for the Russian House in Berlin.
Why it matters
This escalation marks a significant deterioration in diplomatic relations between Germany and Russia, with potential implications for NATO security.
Image source, Getty Images By James Gregory Published 1 September 2026, 16:43 BST Updated 2 minutes ago Germany has said Russia was responsible for last month's drone attack at Leipzig's airport.
A drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany, close to Ukrainian cargo planes, on 4 August.
It failed to explode as the detonator was apparently faulty, and investigators suspect a second drone collided with a cargo aircraft nearby. A third drone was reportedly found near the airport 10 days later.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the Leipzig airport attack followed the "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe" and the assumption was that Germany would be targeted again.
Security experts had speculated that Russia may have been responsible, however Russia has always rejected claims of involvement.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in