Explosive drone at Leipzig airport: EU calls act of state terrorism, France and EU summon Russia

Europe is raising its voice against Russia. The incident involving a drone loaded with explosives, at the beginning of August at the German airport of Leipzig, which Germany attributes to Russia, presents "the characteristics of an act of terrorism supported by a State", estimated the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, Wednesday September 2. The European Union also announced the summoning of the Russian charge d'affaires to Brussels to protest. Follow our live stream.

Germany announces sanctions. Berlin unveiled retaliatory measures against Russia on Tuesday, after accusing it of having sent the drone loaded with explosives in early August to Leipzig airport, a crucial military platform for the German army and NATO.

France summons the Russian charge d'affaires to Paris. The French government will also propose new European sanctions against ships from the "ghost fleet", boats used by Russia under false flags to transport energy and other goods, the foreign minister announced.

Russia protests. In a statement published on Telegram, the Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechaev, described Berlin's "accusations" as "unfounded, absurd and contrary to common sense". He believes that the sanctions constitute “an unprecedented escalation of Russian-German relations and will not be without consequences”.

EU foreign ministers are meeting in Ireland today. They will take the opportunity to discuss "what more we can do", after the incident with a drone at Leipzig airport, attributed to Russia, says Kaja Kallas. “Seeing these hybrid attacks across Europe, I think that they are also warning signals for countries which have perhaps not been very firm on this point,” judges the head of EU diplomacy.

The incident involving a drone loaded with explosives at the beginning of August at Leipzig airport presents "the characteristics of an act of terrorism supported by a State", believes the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas. Yesterday, Germany officially attributed this drone incursion to Russia. The EU announces that it has summoned the Russian charge d'affaires in Brussels on this subject.

France has also summoned the Russian charge d'affaires in Paris to "very strongly protest" against the "hybrid attack" attributed to Russia, announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot. Paris will propose new European sanctions against ships from the Russian ghost fleet, he adds.

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France will summon the Russian charge d'affaires in Paris to "very strongly protest" after Russia was accused by Germany of having sent a drone loaded with explosives to Leipzig airport at the beginning of August.