EditGerman investigators link Leipzig airport drone attack to Russian military intelligence
Welt am Sonntag names two suspects, including a GRU-linked Russian who planned the failed August strike near a Ukrainian cargo plane
German security investigators can now identify two prime suspects in the 4 August drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport with high probability. One of them is linked to Russian military intelligence (GRU).
Attack drone found near Ukrainian plane at German airport; DHL jet damaged in mid-air collision
The report comes from Welt am Sonntag, which reviewed previously unpublished confidential investigation files and spoke with senior German security officials. The newspaper knows the suspects’ full names and details of their travel into and out of Germany. These findings underpinned the public accusations made about 10 days earlier by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. Russia denies any involvement.
The two main suspects are Belarusian citizen Andrei Ka. and Russian citizen Oleg Le. Investigators believe Le. handled planning and logistics and is affiliated with the GRU. He entered Germany via Turkey at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport and later departed from the same airport to Serbia. He is now back in Russia. German services already knew of his GRU connections when he arrived but did not place him under surveillance.
On the evening of 4 August, an explosive drone was found near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft and defused. Fragments of two other drones were recovered near the airport. Two of the three drones were reportedly destroyed at launch for reasons still unknown. The third reached the Antonov but did not detonate. Investigators say roughly 1.8 kg of Semtex was planned for use. The target aircraft was carrying about 25,000 litres of jet fuel; a successful blast could have caused a major explosion and damaged part of the airport. Previously unreleased CCTV footage obtained by Welt am Sonntag shows the drone lying next to the Antonov. The explosive was concealed inside a vegetable tin; the detonator broke off, preventing detonation.
Forensic experts found DNA on glove fragments attached to an antenna believed used to control a drone. The DNA had previously been recorded in Finland and Lithuania, where Ka. has convictions for ordinary crimes, including theft in Finland. Polish authorities also link him to a 2024 arson at a building-materials store in Łódź, which prosecutors treat as sabotage with traces pointing to Russia. His appearance in the Leipzig case is seen as further evidence of Russian direction.
Authorities believe the explosives reached Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia, hidden in truck compartments and later placed in underground caches. Police identified several possible hiding spots near the airport after analysing data from a rental car used by the suspects.
Germany formally accused Russia of the attack on September 1 and announced countermeasures, including closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn. Interior Minister Dobrindt has outlined a broader package covering drone and sabotage defence for critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, and detection of spies and potential terrorists. Leipzig/Halle serves as a key NATO logistics hub and a European base for Ukraine’s Antonov cargo fleet.
The article in Ukrainian by EUalive’s partner European Pravda can be found here.
Caption: A Ukrainian ‘Antonov’ cargo plane at the Airport Leipzig-Halle, in Schkeuditz, Germany, 06 August 2026. German police issued an alert at the airport after a drone loaded with explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane, and another aircraft had collided with an unidentified flying object nearby shortly before landing safely. The airport in eastern Germany plays a key role in the transport of military supplies by the German Armed Forces and NATO allies. It also serves as a base for the Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines. EPA/FILIP SINGER
Updated: September 12, 2026 - 15:33
