Authorities in Germany are investigating the discovery of a drone carrying an explosive device at Leipzig Airport. The incident has triggered political reactions and renewed debate about drone defense measures at German airports.
German CDU defense politician Roderich Kiesewetter has called on the federal government to consult NATO allies under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty in response to the drone incident. Speaking to the newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine, Kiesewetter said: “Germany should at least seek Article 4 consultations in NATO.”
Article 4 allows any NATO member to request consultations if it believes its territorial integrity, political independence, or security is threatened. It is considered a preliminary stage to the collective defense clause under Article 5.
Kiesewetter said he suspects Russia is behind the explosive-laden drone, describing it as a targeted hybrid attack and an attempted act of terror. He also noted that Germany serves as a central logistics hub for NATO and for supporting Ukraine, making it a primary target for Russian hybrid attacks.
German Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the incident a “hybrid attack scenario” but did not explicitly name Russia as the mastermind, saying he wants to wait for further investigations. Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev told the German news channel WELT that Russia has been waging a hybrid war not only against Ukraine but also against Europe.
Security expert Nico Lange said the incident fits into the pattern of Russian hybrid attacks. Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, said on WELT that it was no coincidence the drone was found next to a Ukrainian aircraft.
Heiko Teggatz, federal chairman of the German Police Union (DPolG), told Augsburger Allgemeine: “This threat is very concrete.” He criticized the “chaos of responsibilities” regarding drone sightings and demanded that the federal government centralize these responsibilities.
German states and the federal government use completely different technologies for drone detection and defense. For example, Hesse has ordered different technology than the federal government.
Ralph Beisel, general manager of the German airport association ADV, has demanded the rapid installation and full operational readiness of drone defense systems at German airports.
