by Liz Lykins
Post Date:
September 2, 2026

European Commission says Russia behind drone incident in Germany

Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul speak to the media during a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, about the attempted attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport last month with a drone loaded with explosives.Associated Press / Photo by Ebrahim Noroozi

The heads of NATO and the European Commission on Wednesday condemned what they said was Russia’s drone attack at an airport in Germany. Russia clearly carried out an attack using military equipment on European soil, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. She said the incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport marked a new escalation by Russia. She, along with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, said that the European Alliance stood in full solidarity with Germany. She said they would help fund air defense missiles for Ukraine.

Germany’s national government on Tuesday said it held Russia accountable for the failed sabotage incident with drones at the airport in August.

How has Russia responded? Russia’s ambassador to Germany said allegations that Russia was involved were unfounded and absurd. Germany was attempting to cause an outright escalation in Russian-German relations, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said. Russian leader Vladimir Putin told reporters that Germany planted evidence on the drones.

How did Germany describe the incident? On Aug. 4, German officials discovered a drone carrying an explosive device at the airport, close to Ukrainian cargo planes, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Tuesday. Officials were able to defuse the explosive device, he said. A second drone collided with a cargo aircraft nearby and caused minor damage, Dobrindt said. The drone's configuration, components, explosives, and detonator had been seen in other Russian hybrid operations, he said. Germany ordered the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin to both shut down, said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

The United States assessed the explosive-laden drone at the airport and determined that it originated from a Russian intelligence service, a U.S. defense official previously told CNN.

How have other countries responded? Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the country stood with Germany, as actions against any of the Allies were a matter of concern for all. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia of escalating tension and vowed that Russia wouldn’t win its war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Germany for supporting its air defenses in light of the drone incident.

Liz Lykins

Liz is a reporter covering breaking news and First Amendment freedoms for WORLD. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and Spanish from Ball State University. She and her husband currently reside in Raleigh, N.C.