Leipzig drone probe points to Serbia-based suspects

German investigators are widening a probe that links a failed drone attack at Leipzig Airport in early August 2026 to a network of alleged Russian sabotage operatives with ties to Serbia, according to information obtained by authorities. DNA traces recovered at the Leipzig site have been used to identify at least two suspects, and investigators say one of those suspects travelled from Istanbul to Germany shortly before the attempt.

Serbia described as recruitment and training hub

German security services view Serbia as an important junction for operations they characterise as part of a broader Russian hybrid campaign across Europe. In recent months investigators have pointed to cases ranging from small-scale vandalism and sabotage to coordinated attacks on infrastructure, where the alleged perpetrators appear to have been recruited and directed remotely.

At Leipzig Airport, a drone found near a Ukrainian Antonov transport plane carried a can of plastic explosive; evidence indicates the device was intended to strike a fuel tank but failed because the explosive was improperly connected to a detonator. Investigators say the two drones seized in the area were equipped with routers and could be piloted over mobile networks from anywhere in the world.

Authorities identified DNA traces that led them to two men now held in Serbia: Danilo B., who holds Russian and Serbian citizenship, and Slobodan Gj., a Serbian national. Both have been in detention in Serbia since 11 June 2026. German services believe they hold information about a “single-use” operative allegedly linked to the Leipzig attempt.

In Serbia the two are being probed for illegal possession of weapons, ammunition and explosive materials; Danilo B. is also suspected of forging documents. No terrorism or attack-planning charges have been filed publicly yet. The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Subotica announced on 2 September 2026 that the inquiry has been expanded to include four more people: two remanded in custody, one under house arrest and one currently unavailable to authorities.

German politicians have publicly framed the incident as part of a string of hybrid threats. Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned last week: "They will pay for it." German officials have said Russia is considered responsible for the Leipzig incident, though naming Moscow directly has been cautious in some public statements.

Serbia has remained publicly reticent: official comment has been limited, with the presidency saying only that "it is obvious that the geopolitical games will not leave us in peace." At the same time, Belgrade continues to navigate a delicate balance — avoiding sanctions on Russia while, through intermediaries and with US financing, supplying artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

Security services point to earlier incidents that, investigators say, show an active presence of Russian-linked structures in Serbia: in 2025 and 2026 police detained people accused of running training camps, staging disruptive actions abroad, and fomenting interethnic tensions. Investigators warn such cases are rarely isolated and often involve low-profile recruits used for brief, deniable operations.

Photo: press material from the event