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Russia Denies Role in Leipzig Drone Plot, Claims NATO Agrees
(MENAFN) Moscow's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) declared Tuesday that spy agencies across NATO member states have privately found no proof linking Russia to a foiled drone attack at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport in August.
In a post on Telegram, the SVR alleged a gap between what Western governments say publicly and what their intelligence services believe internally, arguing Berlin's accusations against Russia are not shared behind closed doors. The agency charged that "Many in the West are only pretending to believe the German leadership." According to the SVR, Western allies project unified support for Germany's narrative in public while reaching starkly different conclusions in private intelligence assessments.
The agency went further, claiming that NATO intelligence bodies reviewed the incident and reported back to their respective governments that they uncovered no proof whatsoever tying Russia to the attack — pointing instead, the SVR said, toward indicators suggesting Ukrainian involvement. Those services reportedly urged their governments to hold off on public statements assigning blame to Moscow.
The incident at the center of the dispute occurred Aug. 4, when a drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The device did not detonate and was subsequently disarmed by authorities without incident. Germany has publicly attributed the attack to Russia.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt reinforced that position earlier this month, describing the incident as consistent with a "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."
The SVR pushed back against that framing, alleging Berlin is using the incident to build political justification for boosting military spending in its 2027 budget. The agency also tied the controversy to domestic politics in Germany, referencing the Sept. 6 regional election in Saxony-Anhalt alongside upcoming votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has separately dismissed Germany's allegations, going so far as to accuse Berlin of fabricating evidence to pin responsibility for the attack on Moscow.
In a post on Telegram, the SVR alleged a gap between what Western governments say publicly and what their intelligence services believe internally, arguing Berlin's accusations against Russia are not shared behind closed doors. The agency charged that "Many in the West are only pretending to believe the German leadership." According to the SVR, Western allies project unified support for Germany's narrative in public while reaching starkly different conclusions in private intelligence assessments.
The agency went further, claiming that NATO intelligence bodies reviewed the incident and reported back to their respective governments that they uncovered no proof whatsoever tying Russia to the attack — pointing instead, the SVR said, toward indicators suggesting Ukrainian involvement. Those services reportedly urged their governments to hold off on public statements assigning blame to Moscow.
The incident at the center of the dispute occurred Aug. 4, when a drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The device did not detonate and was subsequently disarmed by authorities without incident. Germany has publicly attributed the attack to Russia.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt reinforced that position earlier this month, describing the incident as consistent with a "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."
The SVR pushed back against that framing, alleging Berlin is using the incident to build political justification for boosting military spending in its 2027 budget. The agency also tied the controversy to domestic politics in Germany, referencing the Sept. 6 regional election in Saxony-Anhalt alongside upcoming votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has separately dismissed Germany's allegations, going so far as to accuse Berlin of fabricating evidence to pin responsibility for the attack on Moscow.
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