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Germany Set to Blame Russia for Leipzig Airport Drone Attack
(MENAFN) Germany is preparing to officially pin an attempted explosive drone strike at Leipzig Airport on Russia and unveil tougher sanctions against Moscow, according to a Saturday report by a weekly newspaper.
The planned sanctions would target Russian entities directly and align with fresh European Union measures being drafted in Brussels, the paper reported, citing German officials with knowledge of the plans. An announcement could land within days, potentially timed to an EU foreign ministers' gathering in Ireland on Tuesday.
It remains uncertain whether Berlin will pin the attack on specific Russian operatives or on the Russian state itself. A German government spokesperson declined to elaborate, saying any formal attribution would wait until investigators complete their review.
Per the report, the measures under discussion go further than previously floated steps such as expelling Russian diplomats or shutting down Berlin's Russian House cultural center. Officials did not detail the tougher options but indicated they could involve escalated sanctions or a boost in arms shipments to Ukraine.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week that Germany would impose consequences on whoever was behind the Leipzig incident, though he stopped short of naming Russia directly. "The German government will make perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price. They will be held accountable," Merz said, noting the investigation was ongoing and that findings would be presented soon.
Airport attack more serious than initially described
German media reported last week that the attempted drone strike on a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig Airport earlier this month was more severe than first disclosed. The drone had been fitted with explosives, and investigators now suspect multiple drones were involved rather than a single device, according to public broadcasters NDR and WDR.
Welt am Sonntag also reported that the discovery of a weapons cache near Berlin has stiffened the government's resolve. German domestic intelligence officers uncovered weapons and ammunition inside a professionally built underground depot in a forest outside the capital, authorities confirmed this month. Federal prosecutors are now investigating suspected preparations for a serious act of violence threatening the state.
Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, assesses that the weapons were stockpiled for Russian operatives who could be directed by Moscow to carry out assassination missions, according to the reports.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin has issued no official response to the allegations. Moscow has previously dismissed accusations of assassinations, sabotage and espionage in countries supporting Ukraine, accusing Western governments of stirring up "anti-Russian paranoia."
The planned sanctions would target Russian entities directly and align with fresh European Union measures being drafted in Brussels, the paper reported, citing German officials with knowledge of the plans. An announcement could land within days, potentially timed to an EU foreign ministers' gathering in Ireland on Tuesday.
It remains uncertain whether Berlin will pin the attack on specific Russian operatives or on the Russian state itself. A German government spokesperson declined to elaborate, saying any formal attribution would wait until investigators complete their review.
Per the report, the measures under discussion go further than previously floated steps such as expelling Russian diplomats or shutting down Berlin's Russian House cultural center. Officials did not detail the tougher options but indicated they could involve escalated sanctions or a boost in arms shipments to Ukraine.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week that Germany would impose consequences on whoever was behind the Leipzig incident, though he stopped short of naming Russia directly. "The German government will make perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price. They will be held accountable," Merz said, noting the investigation was ongoing and that findings would be presented soon.
Airport attack more serious than initially described
German media reported last week that the attempted drone strike on a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig Airport earlier this month was more severe than first disclosed. The drone had been fitted with explosives, and investigators now suspect multiple drones were involved rather than a single device, according to public broadcasters NDR and WDR.
Welt am Sonntag also reported that the discovery of a weapons cache near Berlin has stiffened the government's resolve. German domestic intelligence officers uncovered weapons and ammunition inside a professionally built underground depot in a forest outside the capital, authorities confirmed this month. Federal prosecutors are now investigating suspected preparations for a serious act of violence threatening the state.
Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, assesses that the weapons were stockpiled for Russian operatives who could be directed by Moscow to carry out assassination missions, according to the reports.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin has issued no official response to the allegations. Moscow has previously dismissed accusations of assassinations, sabotage and espionage in countries supporting Ukraine, accusing Western governments of stirring up "anti-Russian paranoia."
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