Leipzig, Germany – August 5, 2026 – German authorities are treating a nighttime security breach at Leipzig/Halle Airport as a serious incident after a drone equipped with a suspected explosive device and detonator was discovered just metres from a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft.
The drone was found shortly before midnight near the southern runway, in the immediate vicinity of an An-124 transport plane operated by Antonov Airlines. The Ukrainian carrier has used the German airport as a key operational base since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Police confirmed the device carried an “unknown substance” later identified through X-ray examination and chemical testing as potential explosives, along with a detonator. The detonator was defective, preventing detonation. Bomb disposal teams used a remote-controlled robot to secure the object.
The discovery forced the temporary shutdown of flight operations. Multiple aircraft, including a passenger flight, were diverted. While the northern side of the airport reopened early Wednesday, the southern runway remained closed as investigators continued their work.
In a separate but related event, a DHL cargo plane departing the airport struck an unidentified object shortly after takeoff and diverted to Hanover with minor damage to its nose.
Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster called the episode a “very serious security incident.” Counter-terrorism units and state prosecutors have joined the investigation. Authorities have not ruled out a political motive or deliberate sabotage targeting the Ukrainian aircraft or the airport’s role in supporting Ukraine’s logistics efforts.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical European infrastructure and the ongoing risks faced by Ukrainian transport operations abroad.
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