German authorities have launched an investigation after a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, raising fresh concerns over security at one of the country’s key aviation and logistics hubs.
According to Saxony police, the device was found overnight by an airport employee near cargo aircraft operated by Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines. Bomb disposal experts were immediately deployed, using a specialised robot to safely remove the detonator before carrying out a controlled explosion.
Authorities also revealed that a separate unidentified object struck a cargo aircraft operating near the same airport. The aircraft later landed safely in Hanover, where inspectors found only minor damage.
Following the incident, the airport temporarily suspended operations on its northern runway before reopening it shortly after midnight. The southern runway remains closed as investigations continue. Leipzig/Halle Airport serves as an important logistics centre for DHL and is also used by the German military and NATO allies to transport military equipment. It has become a key operational base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines, which handles a significant share of the country’s air cargo operations.
Saxony’s Interior Minister, Armin Schuster, described the incident as a “very serious security incident,” though authorities have not released further details about the origin of the drone or the explosive device. Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, suggested Russia could be responsible, stating in an interview that he believed Moscow was the likely source of the attack.
However, German investigators have not publicly attributed responsibility, and Russia has not commented on the allegation. The discovery comes amid heightened security concerns across Germany following a series of unauthorised drone flights over airports, military installations, energy facilities, ports and other critical infrastructure in recent months.
German police have previously warned that some of these incidents may be linked to Russian intelligence operations, although no official conclusions have been announced regarding the latest case. Security analysts have noted that Germany has faced similar incidents since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, increasing concerns about potential sabotage targeting strategic infrastructure.
The airport has also been the scene of previous security incidents. In July 2024, a parcel containing an explosive device caught fire at Leipzig/Halle Airport before it could be loaded onto a DHL cargo aircraft. Investigators suspected the incident was part of a wider sabotage campaign affecting several European countries, though Russia denied any involvement.
Authorities continue to investigate both the explosive-laden drone and the object that struck the cargo aircraft, while additional security measures remain in place at the airport.
