An explosive drone discovered near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig airport in Germany earlier this month was reported to have characteristics typical of devices used by Russia's Military Intelligence Directorate, known as the GRU, according to a U.S. intelligence source. The U.S. official, who was briefed on the investigation into the alleged sabotage plot, indicated that the explosives fitted to the drone and the device's structure were consistent with those typically employed by the GRU. This assessment was made in collaboration with German security and intelligence agencies.
In a statement released on Monday, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR, criticized German politicians and European media for hastily concluding that Russia was involved, stating they made accusations without waiting for preliminary investigation results.
The drone, which was equipped with explosives and a detonator, was discovered on August 4, leading to a temporary shutdown of Leipzig airport as bomb disposal teams deployed a robot to secure the device, which did not detonate. Germany's Interior Minister remarked that a drone armed with explosives at an airport represented a new threat scenario, indicating that the plot involved a high level of technical expertise.
The U.S. intelligence source noted that the device failed to explode because its triggering mechanism was disconnected. German Federal Police stated that they would not provide further comments due to ongoing investigations. Leipzig airport serves as a significant cargo hub and is utilized by the U.S. military and NATO allies for transporting armaments to Ukraine.
Investigators suspect that the drone was intended to disable aircraft parked at the airfield, potentially delaying shipments to Ukraine and sending a warning to Germany regarding its support for Ukraine.
Germany's Chancellor Friederich Merz, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, did not assign responsibility for the alleged sabotage but mentioned that German agencies were working intensively on the case and would present their findings soon. He noted that Germany had increasingly become a target for hybrid attackers, a term referring to sabotage, cyber, and disinformation attacks. In Europe, such incidents are often attributed to unofficial actors acting on behalf of the Russian state.
Merz's comments followed reports in German media about another drone found in a field near Leipzig airport on August 14, ten days after the initial discovery. German police did not comment on this report. Following the security incident at Leipzig on August 4, U.S. officials indicated that the airport had been targeted in multiple suspected Russian sabotage operations. They noted that there had been 18 drone incidents disrupting air traffic at the airport since January 2026.