KABUL (Pajhwok): Germany has accused Russia of attempting to target Leipzig-Halle Airport in eastern Germany last month with a drone carrying explosives. Moscow has rejected the allegation.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the attempted attack took place on August 4 and involved a drone laden with explosives, Al Jazeera reported.
“Taken together, police investigations, patterns of the offences and intelligence findings establish Russian responsibility for the attempted attack,” Dobrindt told reporters alongside Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
The drone was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle Airport on the evening of August 4 and was subsequently defused.
Airport operations were briefly suspended after the drone was found, while explosives experts used a robot to neutralise it.
According to the report, the German government has not publicly provided specific details about the drone’s alleged links to Moscow or released all the evidence supporting its claims.
In response to the incident, Germany announced that it would close a Russian consulate in Bonn from September 18. A Russian cultural centre in Berlin would also be closed, while the Russian ambassador was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry.
Russia has denied any involvement in the incident. The Russian Embassy in Berlin described Germany’s allegations as “baseless,” while Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Berlin of blaming Moscow in an attempt to divert attention from its domestic problems.
Meanwhile, Poland, Italy, Britain, Sweden and the Czech Republic have backed Germany’s position, according to the report. The European Union said it would discuss the issue with NATO.
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