US intel links explosive drone found at German airport to Russia's military intelligence
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U.S. intelligence officials assessed that an explosive drone found at Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport earlier this month showed signs that it was produced by Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU), ABC News reported on Aug. 26.
The drone's structure and explosives were "typical" of those used by Russia's GRU, unnamed U.S. intelligence officials told ABC News.
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not comment on the drone’s origin, but said German agencies were working on the case and would announce their findings shortly, ABC News reported.
Appearing to target a Ukrainian cargo plane loaded with ammunition, the drone in question was found on the tarmac of the Leipzig airport on Aug. 5, near a Ukrainian cargo plane loaded with ammunition. It was carrying military-grade explosives, but its triggering mechanism was disconnected after the drone's discovery, and it did not explode.
The same day, a second "unidentified flying object" collided with an incoming DHL cargo plane at the airport.
According to the German outlet Bild, four Ukrainian cargo aircraft were present during the suspected attack at the Leipzig/Halle Airport, which has served as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines since shortly after the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion.
U.S. intelligence sources told the Wall Street Journal on Aug. 7 that the drones likely belong to Moscow.
The incident prompted European officials to raise alarms over Russia's ability to wage “hybrid warfare” against the West in retaliation for its support of Ukraine.
"Espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, or covert operations by foreign powers aimed at destabilizing Germany or inflicting direct harm are a constant reality," German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told German media on Aug. 9.
Weeks later, German investigators uncovered a third drone and a batch of explosives in a field west of the Leipzig/Halle airport on Aug. 25, German media reported. It remains unclear why the found explosive was not detonated or what the role of the third drone was in the attempted attack.
Suspected Russian-linked drone incidents have repeatedly occurred in airports across Europe, causing flight suspensions and diversions. Since January 2026, 18 drone incidents have disrupted air traffic at Leipzig/Halle, according to ABC News.
