Germany is finalizing preparations for a response to a suspected attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane in Leipzig. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the decision was being coordinated with EU and NATO partners and would be announced in the coming days. Reuters reports this, UNN reports.
Details
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that Berlin was preparing a response to a suspected attempted terrorist attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 4, when a drone loaded with explosives was discovered near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane used to transport military materials.
"We are completing the investigation. There is broad consensus within the federal government on how we should respond, and we will explain this clearly in the coming days; it will not take much time," Merz said.
The country's Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, a member of the conservative Christian Social Union, called the incident in Leipzig a "hybrid attack scenario" and left open the possibility of foreign states being involved.
The publication also reported that the newspaper Die Welt said the government would accuse Russia of the attack in the coming days and announce measures that would include sanctions coordinated with partners from the European Union.
However, Friedrich Merz himself did not comment on whom Berlin considered responsible for the incident, although he said that Germany was coordinating its response with its allies.
"This was agreed upon, and a final agreement must be reached in the coming days with the European Union and our NATO partners," he said. "It will be Germany's response, but our partners in the European Union and NATO will not be caught off guard," Merz added.
Context
At the beginning of August, a drone was discovered at Leipzig Airport with a detonator next to a Ukrainian Antonov aircraft.
Later, the German authorities stated that they were investigating the incident as possible sabotage, while the interior minister called it a hybrid attack.
In addition, it was reported that U.S. intelligence determined that the drone found at Leipzig/Halle Airport near the Ukrainian An-124 belonged to Russia.
As the media reported , Merz plans to directly declare Russia responsible for the drone carrying explosives in the city of Leipzig.