Drones spotted over German military base; another drone with explosives found at Leipzig airport
Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Two drones were spotted over a military base near Bonn, Germany, prompting an investigation by military police.
- Separately, a drone carrying explosives was found near a cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle Airport, causing a flight diversion.
- German officials are considering a "hybrid attack" scenario, with the Interior Minister not ruling out "foreign powers" involvement.
German authorities are investigating two separate drone incidents that raised security concerns. On Thursday evening, security personnel at the Mechernich military base, west of Bonn, reported observing two drones flying over the facility. Military police have initiated an investigation into the matter, with the case later handed over to the Oiskirchen police department, which has yet to comment.
This incident follows a more alarming event at Leipzig-Halle Airport on Tuesday evening. Airport staff discovered a drone carrying explosives and a detonator near a Ukrainian cargo plane. The drone was reportedly brought down by airport personnel. The runway was subsequently closed, forcing an arriving cargo plane to abort its landing and collide with another unidentified flying object, possibly a second drone.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office has taken over the investigation into the Leipzig airport incident. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the situation as a potential "hybrid attack" carried out by highly professional criminals. He has not dismissed the possibility that "foreign powers" could be behind the events.
Responding to the Leipzig incident, the Russian Embassy in Berlin issued a statement on Friday, calling it a "fabricated provocation" aimed at implicating Moscow. The embassy asserted on its website that the incident clearly serves the interests of "Kyiv and the militaristic wing of the European political elite."
It is obvious that this incident serves only the interests of Kyiv and the militaristic wing of the European political elite.
Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.