Germany weighs tougher measures against Moscow after Leipzig drone incident

Germany is preparing what officials describe as a possible sharp escalation against Moscow after an alleged drone attack attempt in Leipzig, according to people familiar with the plans.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to blame Russia for the incident and announce “extensive” sanctions. The measures could target Russian entities directly, while the European Union separately prepares another sanctions package in Brussels.

Three officials familiar with the matter told Politico and Welt am Sonntag that merely expelling individual Russian diplomats or closing the Russian House in Berlin would no longer be enough. They said the response could include tougher sanctions or broader weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The officials did not disclose which measures Merz plans to announce, or whether Berlin will hold individual Russian actors or the Russian government responsible.

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The drone attack in Leipzig, among other things, shows that we too face very real threats. The federal government is making the perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price. They will pay for this.

Merz said on Tuesday that the Leipzig incident would have serious consequences, without naming a party. “The drone attack in Leipzig, among other things, shows that we too face very real threats. The federal government is making the perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price. They will pay for this,” he said. A government spokesperson said the chancellery would not speculate and that attribution would follow an assessment of all investigative findings.

The timing is politically sensitive. Regional elections are due in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, followed two weeks later by votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. The far-right Alternative for Germany, known for its pro-Russian stance, leads polls in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Officials also warned that Berlin should prepare for a sharp response from Moscow, as tensions rise over incidents in Europe described by senior officials as hybrid warfare.

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The Chancellery does not engage in speculation. The only thing that matters is the official attribution that the federal government makes at its own discretion and after assessing all the findings of the investigation.