Alexander Dobrindt Warns of New Threat Scenario After Explosives-Laden Drone Discovered at Leipzig Airport
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned that a drone carrying an explosive device discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport represents a "new threat scenario" for Germany. The drone, which was found near Ukrainian cargo planes, narrowly avoided detonating due to a faulty detonator. The discovery forced a temporary suspension of air traffic, and a second unidentified flying object collided with a DHL cargo plane, causing minor damage. Investigators are treating the incident as a professional hybrid threat, with initial evidence pointing toward a Russian-orchestrated plot. The drone was equipped with approximately 800g of plastic explosive, such as semtex, which is typically used by militaries or established terror groups. While the German government has not officially blamed Moscow yet, Roderich Kiesewetter of the German parliament's intelligence committee stated that the threat posed by Russian hybrid attacks is serious. The airport serves as a critical logistics hub for NATO and the German military, as well as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.