Germany has formally accused Russia of responsibility for an explosive drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month, announcing a series of diplomatic and economic measures in response. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated at a Berlin press conference that all evidence pointed to the Russian state having provided the technical expertise and equipment for the attack, while "low-level agents" were recruited to carry it out. "We are not at war, but we are a daily target of hybrid warfare," Dobrindt said.
The incident occurred on the night of 4–5 August, when a drone loaded with around 600 to 800 grams of military explosive — described variously as hexogen and Semtex in different accounts — was steered toward a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 cargo aircraft parked in the airport's secure freight area. Leipzig/Halle, a major logistics hub in the eastern German state of Saxony, plays a significant role in supplying military equipment to Ukraine and hosts NATO's Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS), which operates daily flights to NATO positions along Europe's eastern flank. The drone's detonator failed to activate, and the device was noticed and secured by a bus driver who happened to be on the tarmac. Traces of hexogen were found at the airport's perimeter ten days later, along with a further drone.
The measures announced by Berlin include the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn effective 18 September, and the termination of the operating contract for the Russian House cultural centre in central Berlin, which German authorities allege has served as a base for intelligence operations and hybrid attacks. Germany also intends to increase pressure on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" — tankers suspected of shipping Russian oil through the Baltic and North seas in violation of international sanctions, often transiting German waters — and will propose additional individuals for EU sanctions lists. The Russian ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry as the announcement was made.
International support for Berlin's position came swiftly. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called the evidence "clear" and pledged the alliance's solidarity, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed to keep the EU united. French President Emmanuel Macron backed the new European sanctions, warning that hybrid attacks across Europe "cannot go unanswered." Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney described the attack as "an egregious attempt by Russia to weaken our resolve." Russia rejected the accusations outright. President Vladimir Putin called the measures "another serious mistake" that ran counter to German interests, while the Russian ambassador in Berlin dismissed the allegations as "unfounded and absurd."
The announcement ends weeks during which the German government had referred only to "foreign powers" rather than naming Russia directly — a hesitancy that drew sharp criticism from opposition and coalition figures alike. Konstantin von Notz, the Greens' security policy expert, accused successive governments of emboldening Putin through inaction. The attribution comes days before regional elections in the eastern German states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party, which has pushed a pro-Russia agenda, is seeking major gains. Intelligence cited by German media suggests investigators have also linked the Leipzig attack to a broader pattern of Russian hybrid operations across Europe, including incidents in Romania, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom.