Photo courtesy of Anadolu
An attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo aircraft in Leipzig has drawn a show of support from NATO, with alliance chief Mark Rutte backing Germany as it responds to suspected Russian hybrid activity.
German investigators said the Aug. 14 incident at Leipzig Airport was more serious than initially reported. Several drones were allegedly involved, including one fitted with explosives, with a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane believed to have been the target.
Rutte said Tuesday that he had discussed the incident with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and that NATO stood in full solidarity with Germany. He said the evidence behind Berlin’s attribution was clear and welcomed measures taken by the German government.
The NATO chief said the alliance would continue improving its ability to deter and defend against hybrid threats and other hostile activities targeting member states.
Security concerns in Germany have also intensified following the reported discovery of a weapons cache near Berlin. German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported that the country’s domestic intelligence agency assessed that the weapons had been stored for Russian operatives who could potentially be directed to carry out assassinations.
Against that backdrop, Rutte accused Moscow of seeking to intimidate NATO countries and undermine unity among allies, particularly their willingness to continue supporting Ukraine.
He said such efforts would fail, reaffirming NATO’s support for Ukraine and its commitment to the collective defense of its members.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin had not issued an official response to the latest allegations. Moscow has previously denied accusations that it was behind sabotage, espionage and assassination operations in countries supporting Ukraine.