Armed Drone Found Near Ukraine Planes at Germany Airport
German police found a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig airport in Germany. It was found late Tuesday night before dawn Wednesday.
The drone was inside the airport perimeter. It was found near Ukrainian cargo planes.
NATO confirmed the incident happened. A NATO spokesperson said the drone was near an Antonov Airlines aircraft.
The drone's detonator seemed to malfunction or tore off. This apparently stopped it from exploding.
Another object hit a cargo plane in mid-air. This happened around the same time as the drone discovery.
The cargo plane was reportedly a DHL freighter. It aborted landing and safely diverted to Hanover in Germany.
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany said he suspected Russia was involved. German leaders have not blamed anyone yet.
They have given no evidence linking Russia to the incident. Prosecutors in Saxony are leading the investigation.
They normally handle extremist crimes. The Financial Times said this incident marks an escalation. It follows two years of drone incidents at European airports.
Key Terms 3
- Saxony A state in eastern Germany where Leipzig is located.
- Antonov Airlines A Ukrainian cargo airline that operates large freight planes.
- NATO A military alliance of European and North American countries.