Investigators find third drone and about 50 grams of military explosive near Leipzig airport

Investigators in Germany say they have recovered a third drone and traces of an explosive that could point to a substantially larger plot targeting a cargo operation at Leipzig Airport.

New material found in field west of the airport

Authorities report that the additional unmanned aircraft was located in a field in Kabelsketal, Saalekreis, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt — directly west of Leipzig Airport. Federal state security officers, acting on orders from Federal Public Prosecutor Jens Rommel, are examining how the drones were intended to be used and who organised the operation.

Forensic teams from the Federal Police arrived at the field on 14 August. According to investigators, the following day they discovered a substance that preliminary assessments put at approximately 50 grams of the military high explosive hexogen. That finding has led officials to conclude perpetrators may have planned a much larger attack than was initially apparent.

The episode began on the night of 4 August, when a drone loaded with an explosive device was found on the airport premises at about 23:42 near an Antonov cargo aircraft used for military supply. Shortly after midnight — around 00:03 on 5 August — a second drone is believed to have collided with a DHL freighter. The DHL aircraft was diverted to Hanover, where investigators later inspected the plane and questioned the crew; damage to the tail indicated a collision, and investigators concluded the incident was not caused by a bird strike.

Searches in and around the airport have recovered fragments of electronics and antennas. In the village of Kursdorf, north of the airport, technicians seized part of a technical assembly that may have been used to control a drone — an antenna and other electronic components were reportedly attached to a tree with adhesive tape. Nearby, burned ground and metal fragments were found at what investigators suspect could be the site of a detonation. Witnesses said they heard a loud sound at about 19:20 several hours before the drone was discovered on the airfield.

Investigators say they are following several leads, including DNA material recovered from the scene. Security sources have told investigators they suspect involvement by Russian intelligence services; the Russian government has publicly denied any responsibility. Authorities have not publicly named suspects and a federal prosecutor's office spokesperson declined to comment on Monday.

Photo: press material from the event