Leipzig Airport Drone Attack More Serious Than Reported

Ten days after an explosive drone was discovered in the restricted cargo area of Leipzig-Halle airport, German investigators have concluded that the incident was significantly larger than first reported. A third drone was found on a field west of the airport, and a DHL cargo aircraft may have collided with a second device during takeoff or landing, according to reports by Sueddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR citing security sources.

Third Drone Found, DHL Jet May Have Been Hit

The initial incident — reported in early August — involved a single drone loaded with military explosive found near several Ukrainian cargo aircraft at the airport, a hub for military aid shipments to Ukraine. Investigators had already suspected a second drone might have been deployed. Now a third device has been discovered on a field to the west of the airport.

Reports indicate that pilots aboard a DHL aircraft spotted an object roughly 30 centimeters in size seconds before a suspected collision near the airport perimeter fence. An examination of the DHL jet later revealed damage to the tail section consistent with a mid-air impact. That drone, or its remains, has not yet been found — investigators believe it may have been shredded by the engines on impact.

Hexogen Explosive and Antenna Found

The newly found third drone carried what appears to be approximately 50 grams of hexogen, a high-grade military explosive, according to security sources cited in the reports. In a separate find north of the airport, investigators discovered what may be a drone control antenna attached to a tree, along with DNA traces.

Security officials quoted in the reports said the perpetrators may have planned a much larger attack than was previously publicly known. Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office is leading the investigation under the Federal Prosecutor's Office, which described it as a severe attack on transport and logistics infrastructure.

Russia Suspected, Evidence Difficult to Prove

German security circles believe Russian intelligence services were involved in planning the attack, though Moscow denies any role. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt acknowledged Russia as an obvious suspect but said direct proof was difficult to establish. A YouGov poll found 63 percent of Germans are concerned about the incident, and four out of five respondents see deficiencies in Germany's drone-defense capabilities.