EU ramps up pressure on Russia after Germany accuses Moscow of failed drone attack on Leipzig airport

European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is ramping up pressure on Russia after Berlin accused Moscow of being behind a failed drone attack on a German airport.

Kallas struck a defiant tone on Wednesday as she warned that “attempts to intimidate Europe” would fail. She further denounced last month’s attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport as “state-sponsored terrorism”.

“We ⁠are working on new proposals to tighten sanctions enforcement and we are moving ahead with more sanctions,” Kallas said.

Russia has denied involvement in the incident, with President Vladimir Putin alleging that the evidence had been “planted”. Three drones carrying explosives were found in and around the airport on August 4, temporarily disrupting air traffic.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Kallas said the bloc was preparing to sanction an additional 1,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s military sector and that the EU was “ready to add more”.

Kallas also highlighted broad support among the bloc’s foreign ministers for imposing a ban on former Russian military personnel from visiting the EU, while also floating the prospect of tightening visa restrictions for Russian tourists.

She added that Russia’s representative to the bloc had been summoned by the EU and individual member states.

The EU has attempted to apply as much pressure on Russia as possible without resorting to military means. To date, more than 3,000 Russian officials, oligarchs and companies have already been sanctioned since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that authorities were looking into how “to cut deeper into Russia’s war chest”.

She said the attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport marked “a new escalation on European Union soil”.

It was not clear what, if any, effect further measures by the EU will have on Russia in terms of the Ukraine conflict, which has largely become a war of attrition.

Kyiv has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure deep in Russian territory, while Moscow has taken advantage of Ukraine’s lack of missile interceptors by carrying out regular strikes that have killed civilians.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said Russia would have to live with the consequences of its actions, warning that a response had been carefully prepared.

Russia’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, said it had summoned Germany’s envoy to the country, Bernd Finke, telling him that Moscow “categorically” rejected being behind the failed drone attack.