A sapper at the site of the discovery of a UAV at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany, August 5, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Axel Schmidt)
An explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 5 was likely linked to the Russian government, U.S. officials familiar with intelligence assessments of the incident told The Wall Street Journal.
The threat to European aviation has been growing in recent years, analysts say. Suspicious drones were spotted at least 144 times across 13 countries between August 2024 and February 2026, according to a report by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Western governments believe Moscow is behind many of the incidents. U.S. and European leaders increasingly see signs that Russia is carrying out probing attacks intended to test NATO’s resolve, including missile and drone incidents involving Poland and Romania, the WSJ reported.
Suspicions of Russian involvement in the Leipzig incident come amid U.S. intelligence assessments that Russian leader Vladimir Putin may be planning a limited attack on a NATO country within the next several years.
The scenarios considered range from a cyberattack to a small-scale ground incursion, according to the report.
The heightened Russian threat comes amid concerns over shortages of certain U.S. weapons that could be needed in a potential confrontation with Russia or China.
Weapons deliveries to Ukraine and recent significant expenditures during the war with Iran have depleted U.S. stockpiles, the WSJ reported.
Leipzig airport drone incident — what is known
A drone fitted with a detonator and explosive material was found overnight on Aug. 5 at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, which has served as a base for Ukrainian Antonov aircraft since 2022.
The drone was discovered on a runway near a Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo plane.
Flights were diverted because of the incident. One DHL cargo aircraft delayed its landing and made an additional circuit after colliding in the air with an unidentified object that may have been another drone, pilots later confirmed.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Aug. 6 that the incident did not appear to be the work of amateurs and that a foreign state could have been involved.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said no one was injured and that aircraft operated by Ukrainian company Antonov were not damaged.
Media reports said the drone had been found near an An-124 loaded with ammunition, but Germany’s Interior Ministry denied that claim.
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