Germany warns of daily hybrid warfare after Leipzig drone incident

What happened

• An airport employee brought down a drone carrying explosives and a detonator near Ukrainian transport aircraft late on Tuesday evening.
• A plane taking off shortly after the closure collided with an unknown smaller object, possibly a second drone.
• Federal prosecutors are investigating suspected attempted causing of an explosion and dangerous interference with air traffic.
• A guard post was set up at the airport; Reuters and Bloomberg report drone sightings over a German military base.
• The interior minister announced a drone security research centre with the DLR at Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, from 18 August.

The view from outside

The attribution came from US media rather than German authorities: the Wall Street Journal cited officials saying the drone probably belonged to the Russian government, CNN a US defence official in Europe pointing to a Russian intelligence service. FAZ notes it remains open what findings or concrete indications this assessment rests on.

What could happen next

• The prosecutors' investigation has named no suspects, and the origin of the second flying object stays unconfirmed.
• Whether the sightings over the military base are linked to the airport case is not reported.
• German authorities have not publicly endorsed the US assessment, leaving any official attribution to Moscow open.