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German authorities have uncovered another drone near the airport where an explosive-laden device was found earlier this month, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned of increasingly “unscrupulous” hybrid attacks on the country.
A drone full of explosives was discovered on August 4 near a Ukrainian cargo plane on the grounds of Leipzig/Halle airport, about 170km south of Berlin. Authorities have also investigated a suspicious mid-air collision with a postal plane that had happened on the same night.
Another drone has since been found near the scene, according to German media reports on Tuesday that were confirmed by one person with knowledge of the investigation.
The latest discovery was made on August 14 in a field in Kabelsketal, bordering Leipzig/Halle airport, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung and Der Spiegel. The drone reportedly had traces of military-grade explosive hexogen but was, like the first one, found to be defective.
The federal public prosecutor’s office declined to comment. The interior ministry did not immediately comment on the latest development.
The drone incidents point to escalating hybrid threats towards Germany, as authorities race to find out whether Russia or its proxies might be behind them. Berlin is Ukraine’s largest donor of military aid and Merz has advocated for increased economic sanctions on Moscow for its war on Kyiv.
The drone scares coincide with regional elections in September in eastern states, where the far-right, pro-Russia Alternative for Germany is expected to make strong gains.
Merz on Tuesday declined to comment on the latest drone discovery, saying that the government would “comment on it shortly”.
But he warned that Germany was increasingly coming “under the crosshairs of hybrid attackers” and pledged that the perpetrators would “pay a price”.
“This is evident not least from the August 4 attack at the Leipzig airport. Attackers are becoming increasingly unscrupulous, willing to accept even serious property damage, injuries and deaths,” he said in a televised statement.
German investigators suspect that the explosives-laden drone discovered at Leipzig/Halle airport earlier this month was intended to blow up an aeroplane. The drone was equipped with military-grade explosives, including Semtex and PETN, police have concluded.
Leipzig/Halle is Europe’s fourth-largest air freight hub and a large centre for Ukrainian and Nato logistics. It also handles more than 2mn passengers a year. The explosive drone was discovered on the cargo side of the airport by ground crew shortly before midnight, close to a Ukrainian Antonov 124 transport plane.
Berlin has refrained from publicly blaming Moscow for the incidents. But security analysts have said that Russia may seek to increase pressure on Europe with more aggressive hybrid attacks as it struggles to make significant military gains in Ukraine and faces a deteriorating economy and as Ukraine increases its strikes on Russian energy facilities and warehouses.
Additional reporting by Sam Jones
