Attempted Sabotage in Leipzig: Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan Loaded With French Ammunition

At Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, an Antonov Airlines An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft, next to which a strike drone was reportedly discovered, had been loaded with ammunition.

According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, citing a confidential German police report, the cargo consisted of military equipment and ammunition that had arrived in Germany from France and was being prepared for onward transport.

However, during a closed-door briefing with members of the Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior denied reports that the aircraft was carrying ammunition.

Leipzig/Halle Airport is a key logistics hub that is regularly used for military transport operations in support of NATO countries.

Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft are regularly used to transport defense-related cargo as part of international logistics operations.

The drone incident occurred during the night of August 5, when airport personnel spotted a drone hovering between two Ukrainian aircraft.

The drone was flying at low altitude in the immediate vicinity of the aircraft parking area. It then came into contact with a member of the ground crew, causing the drone to fall to the ground.

Specialized electronic countermeasure and counter-drone detection systems installed at the airport failed to detect the aerial target in advance.

According to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the perpetrators likely modified the drone to evade standard security and detection systems.

During an inspection, specialists recovered an improvised explosive device with a detonator that had been attached to the drone’s fuselage as a package.

Forensic analysis determined that the drone was fitted with plastic explosive commonly used in military and industrial applications.