Allegations have been raised that Russia is behind an explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at a German airport. It is the first time in Europe that a drone carrying explosives has been discovered.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt met reporters on the 5th (local time) and said, “A drone equipped with explosives appearing at an airport is a new threat scenario” and “We are facing a professional hybrid attack scenario,” according to reports by AP and the Guardian. Saxony Interior Minister Armin Schuster also said in a statement that it was a “very serious security incident.” ‘Hybrid attack’ refers to a complex security threat that mobilizes non-military means such as cyberattacks, fake news, and terrorism in addition to military force.

Around midnight the previous day at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany, a drone loaded with explosives was discovered near a Ukrainian Antonov aircraft, prompting authorities to open an investigation. As a result, airport operations were temporarily suspended and several aircraft were diverted. At the time, a DHL cargo plane taking off and climbing from the airport collided with another flying object and sustained minor damage.

Inside and outside Germany, many suspect that Russia is behind this incident, similar to the recent drone cases discovered at airports, military facilities, and ports in European countries. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) concluded in a report released last month that most of the 144 drone incursions recorded across Europe since 2024, including at airports and key military facilities, were likely the work of Russia. However, unlike this case, none of those drones carried explosives and they were mostly for reconnaissance and surveillance.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, pointed to Russia as the actor behind the incident, saying, “If not Russia, who could do such a thing.” Dobrindt did not directly name Russia but said, “There may also have been involvement by foreign actors,” and did not rule out possible Russian involvement.

The expertise evident in the explosives and the drone also lends weight to suspicions of Russian involvement. Dobrindt said, “This is far from an amateur approach,” adding that the perpetrator “must have had high technical expertise and experience related to explosive disposal.”

German security officials told the Financial Times (FT) that “links to Russia are currently the most important consideration” in the investigation. If the investigation reveals that Russia carried it out, relations between Europe and Russia, already worsened since the war in Ukraine, are likely to deteriorate further. Military tensions are also expected to rise. Germany is one of the largest military supporters of Ukraine.

Concerns are also being voiced about the security architecture of Germany and Europe. Critics say that, even after a 2024 fire at the same airport suspected to have been the work of Russia, authorities failed to prevent this drone's unauthorized entry and flight. Leipzig-Halle Airport serves as a base for NATO Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) operations and as a maintenance base for Ukrainian Antonov aircraft.

Russia has not commented. It has previously denied any connection to drones found in Europe.