Photo: An-124 Ruslan
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft, next to which an explosive-laden drone was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport on the night of August 5, was reportedly carrying a shipment of military ammunition. The information emerged after investigators reviewed a confidential police report, according to a joint investigation by Reuters, Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR.
According to the report, forensic experts concluded that the explosive device attached to the drone was professionally manufactured using military-grade explosives, increasing concerns that the incident may have been a deliberate terrorist attack targeting critical infrastructure.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a hybrid attack and said it demonstrated a new level of security threat. However, police in the German state of Saxony have declined to comment on reports regarding the military cargo aboard the Ukrainian aircraft.
Meanwhile, German authorities continue searching for debris from an unidentified object that struck another cargo aircraft during its approach to Leipzig later that same night. Because one runway had been closed, the crew was forced to perform a go-around before the aircraft sustained minor damage. It later landed safely in Hanover.
Although investigators have not officially identified those responsible, Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliamentary committee overseeing intelligence services, publicly blamed Russia for the incident. The Russian Embassy in Berlin did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Leipzig/Halle Airport serves as one of the main operating hubs for Antonov Airlines' heavy transport fleet. The An-124 Ruslan had arrived there from Kyiv, and the airport is regularly used by Antonov aircraft conducting international cargo operations.
