Explosive drone forces shutdown at major German airport serving NATO, Ukraine flights

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A drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane atGermany’s Leipzig/Halle Airportlate Tuesday, prompting officials to warn the incident represented “a new quality of danger,” authorities said Wednesday.

The discovery temporarily shut down both runways at the major European freight hub and forced several flights to divert to other airports, according toThe Associated Press.

Another flying object was spotted nearby shortly before midnight and several flights, including one passenger plane, were then diverted to other airports.

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Police said an airport worker had found the first drone near the airport’s south runway with “an unknown explosive device.”(Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)

German police launched a large response and opened an investigation into the two incidents.

Police said an airport worker found the first explosive drone near the airport’s south runway with “an unknown explosive device.”

An explosives disposal robot was deployed to examine the device before authorities removed its detonator.

The plane, bearing the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag, displayed the English-language slogan, “Be Brave Like Kherson,” a tribute to the southern Ukrainian region,Deutsche Wellereported.

In the second incident, an unidentified flying objectcollided with a cargo aircraftthat had aborted its landing at Leipzig/Halle Airport because of the runway closure.

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The plane bore the colors of the Ukrainian flag.(Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)

The aircraft diverted to Hannover Airport, about 125 miles north-west of Leipzig, where officials found minor damage, according to The Associated Press.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the discovery of the first drone marked a significant escalation.

“Drone sightings, drone threats, including in a hybrid context, are something we know from the past,” he said.“That a drone armed with explosives is at an airport is a new threat scenario.”

Dobrindt also described the incident as “ahybrid attack scenario.”

He said questions about the type of explosives used, the drone’s origin and who was responsible remained under investigation.

“All the speculation that is currently going on about the explosives, the construction, the question of the drone, the origin and, of course, who is behind it, is now part of the investigation,” Dobrindt said.

“What is happening now also shows that the assessment made months ago — that we are dealing with a high level of danger — was justified.”

In June, Dobrindt opened Germany’s Joint Centre forCountering Hybrid Threats, which brings together federal and state security agencies to address threats including espionage, sabotage and disinformation.

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A drone carrying explosives positioned next to a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany.

A drone carrying explosives was found at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport Tuesday night next to a Ukrainian plane, and officials warned the incident represented “a new quality of danger.”(Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)

Leipzig/Halle Airport is a major European cargo hub, andUkrainian Antonov transport aircraftare based there.

NATO saidit was aware of the incidents but referred questions to German authorities.

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Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, suggested Moscow may have been behind the incident, telling Welt TV Wednesday, “Who else could it be but Russia?” accordingto reports.

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In 2024, an incendiary device ignited at a logistics center at Leipzig/Halle Airport, setting fire to a freight container in an incident Western security officials suspect was part of a Russian intelligence sabotage operation.

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