Russia’s shadow fleet launches drone campaign across Europe
Jennifer Griffin details allegations that Russia’s so-called shadow fleet is tied to a widening drone operation across Europe, aimed at monitoring military facilities and probing NATO air defenses. A report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies identified 144 suspected drone sightings near sensitive locations in Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
German authorities said Wednesday that a drone fitted with explosives was discovered late Tuesday near a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport, an incident officials described as signaling “a new quality of danger.”
The security scare briefly brought operations to a halt on both runways at one of Europe’s busiest cargo airports and led to multiple flight diversions, The Associated Press reported.
Shortly before midnight, a second unidentified flying object was seen in the area, prompting additional diversions, including at least one passenger flight.
Police said an airport employee discovered the first drone near the south runway carrying what authorities called “an unknown explosive device.” (Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)
German police mounted a major security response at the airport and began investigating both reported incidents.
According to police, the initial drone was located by an airport worker near the southern runway and appeared to be equipped with “an unknown explosive device.”
Bomb disposal specialists used a remote-controlled robot to inspect the device before safely removing its detonator.
The plane, bearing the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag, displayed the English-language slogan, “Be Brave Like Kherson,” a tribute to the southern Ukrainian region, Deutsche Welle reported.
In the second incident, an unidentified flying object collided with a cargo aircraft that had aborted its landing at Leipzig/Halle Airport because of the runway closure.
The plane bore the colors of the Ukrainian flag. (Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)
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The aircraft diverted to Hannover Airport, about 125 miles north-west of Leipzig, where officials found minor damage, according to The Associated Press.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the discovery of the first drone marked a significant escalation.
“Drone sightings, drone threats, including in a hybrid context, are something we know from the past,” he said. “That a drone armed with explosives is at an airport is a new threat scenario.”
Dobrindt also described the incident as “a hybrid attack scenario.”
He said questions about the type of explosives used, the drone’s origin and who was responsible remained under investigation.
“All the speculation that is currently going on about the explosives, the construction, the question of the drone, the origin and, of course, who is behind it, is now part of the investigation,” Dobrindt said.
“What is happening now also shows that the assessment made months ago — that we are dealing with a high level of danger — was justified.”
In June, Dobrindt opened Germany’s Joint Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats, which brings together federal and state security agencies to address threats including espionage, sabotage and disinformation.
A drone carrying explosives was found at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport Tuesday night next to a Ukrainian plane, and officials warned the incident represented “a new quality of danger.” (Hendrik Schmidt/DPA via AP)
Leipzig/Halle Airport is a major European cargo hub, and Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft are based there.
NATO said it was aware of the incidents but referred questions to German authorities.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, suggested Moscow may have been behind the incident, telling Welt TV Wednesday, “Who else could it be but Russia?” according to reports.
In 2024, an incendiary device ignited at a logistics center at Leipzig/Halle Airport, setting fire to a freight container in an incident Western security officials suspect was part of a Russian intelligence sabotage operation.
