DistantNews
Support us
EU summons Russian ambassador over Leipzig airport incident
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Energy & Infrastructure

EU summons Russian ambassador over Leipzig airport incident

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had summoned Russia’s ambassador over the Leipzig-Halle airport incident.
  • German officials said a drone carrying explosives was found in the airport’s security area, while another unidentified object collided with a DHL cargo plane and a third drone was later discovered.
  • Germany said police and intelligence findings pointed to Russian involvement and announced the closure of two Russian facilities and increased pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet.

The European Union has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Brussels over what it describes as a suspected hybrid attack at Germany’s Leipzig-Halle airport. The incident involved drones, explosives and a disruption to air cargo operations.

“We are discussing the attacks in Leipzig. It is also clear that they bear all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. The question is what we will do about it. We have already summoned the Russian ambassador,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said as EU foreign ministers met in Ireland.

We are discussing the attacks in Leipzig. It is also clear that they bear all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. The question is what we will do about it. We have already summoned the Russian ambassador.

— Kaja KallasThe EU foreign policy chief described the Leipzig incident and announced that the Russian ambassador had been summoned.

The incident began on the evening of Aug. 4, when a drone loaded with explosives and fitted with a detonator was found in a secured area of the airport, between Ukrainian cargo planes. Later, a second unidentified flying object collided with a DHL cargo aircraft. The plane could not land because the runway had been closed and had to abort its landing. German investigators subsequently found a third drone.

Our services’ data clearly shows Russian involvement.

— Alexander DobrindtThe German interior minister cited police and intelligence findings while accusing Russia of involvement.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accused Russia and announced punitive measures. “Our services’ data clearly shows Russian involvement,” Dobrindt said, adding that the drone configuration and explosives resembled those used in other attacks attributed to Russia. He said the operation appeared to have been carried out by so-called lower-level agents and that its pattern matched a known Russian operational model.

Wadephul said Russia’s general consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin would be closed. Germany would also increase pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet. The federal prosecutor’s office called the incident “a serious attack on Germany’s transport and logistics infrastructure.”

A serious attack on Germany’s transport and logistics infrastructure.

— Federal Prosecutor’s OfficeThe office’s description of the airport incident highlighted its implications for German infrastructure.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog