Putin ‘behind plot to hit German airport with Semtex-packed drone’
A drone containing dangerous explosive that landed at a German airport may have been sent by Vladimir Putin’s Russia, according to US government officials
The drone contained explosives(Image: SWNS.com)
An explosive-laden drone found at at a major airport in Germany could have belonged to the Russian government, according to US officials.
The drone, which reportedly contained the explosive substance Semtex, was discovered in a secure area close to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft on August 4, prompting the airport to close for the night. Reports state that the drone may have actually struck the plane near its fuel tank, although it failed to detonate.
One official told the German news outlet BILD: “Had the drone exploded there, it would have caused an inferno.” The impact damaged the drone and left fragments on the aircraft’s wing. It then fell to the ground, where it apparently remained in emergency mode for around four hours before a bus driver reportedly stepped on it and alerted airport security.
Thankfully the drone did not detonate
Investigators recovered DNA from the device which, according to BILD, matches evidence found after an incendiary parcel caught fire at DHL’s Leipzig logistics centre on July 20, 2024.
That earlier parcel was due to be loaded onto a DHL aircraft but ignited on the ground because the flight had been delayed. Five men are now standing trial in Lithuania accused of sending four incendiary parcels across Europe.
Eurojust previously said 22 suspects identified over the parcel-bomb campaign were believed to have acted on behalf of Russia ’s GRU military intelligence service.
Reports suggest Putin’s Russia may have been involved (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The DNA has not yet been linked to any specific, but it has reportedly been linked to an unknowwn individual in Lithuania.
The device was reportedly equipped with explosives, two SIM cards and a release mechanism.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the discovery as “a new level of danger” and “a new threat scenario”, but did not publicly blame Russia. German investigators are examining whether a foreign state was involved.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the discovery as “a new level of danger”(Image: Getty)
Authorities are also looking into a second unidentified object which reportedly struck another cargo plane after it aborted its landing because of the airport closure. The aircraft suffered minor damage and landed safely elsewhere.
The alleged Russian connection comes amid warnings that Vladimir Putin could seek to test NATO’s resolve through cyberattacks, sabotage or a limited incursion into an allied country. However, there is currently no publicly available evidence that Putin personally ordered the drone to be sent.
Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office is believed to be investigating the incident.
