New findings in the investigation of explosive-laden UAV at Leipzig/Halle Airport

There has been a new development in the investigation into the discovery of an explosive-laden UAV at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport.

According to the special report of the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, German security units have obtained serious traces that the explosive-laden UAV, which was found and neutralized in the section where the Ukrainian cargo plane was located on August 4, was placed by people affiliated with the Russian military intelligence service (GRU).

'HE HAS A RECORD IN BOTH COUNTRIES'

Accordingly, the arrival of the explosive-laden UAV in question to Leipzig/Halle Airport was organized by Belarusian Andrei K., who also has Russian citizenship, and Oleg L., who is affiliated with the Russian Military Intelligence Service (GRU). According to the newspaper's report based on security sources, Oleg L. first came to Berlin and then went to Leipzig. After the UAV reached Leipzig Airport, Oleg L. went from Berlin to Serbia and from there to Russia. During the fingerprint research conducted on the UAV, the DNA of the other suspect, Belarusian Andrei K., was found on a tin box containing explosives and on the antenna placed on a tree to control the UAV. The news noted that the DNA traces of the person in question had previously been recorded in Finland and Lithuania and that Andrei K. had a criminal record in these two countries.

'EXPLOSIVES WERE BROUGHT VIA BULGARIA AND SERBIA'

It was also claimed that German security units had serious data that the explosives placed on the UAV were brought to Germany by truck via Bulgaria and Serbia. According to security sources, the explosives were transported in secret compartments of trucks and brought to Germany, where they were then kept top secret until the attempted attack.

According to another detail included in the news, the analysis carried out by the security forces determined that if the device on the explosive-laden UAV exploded, it would cause great destruction and completely destroy some parts of Leipzig/Halle Airport.

EXPLOSIVE-LOADED UAV HAS FURTHER STRESSED GERMANY-RUSSIA RELATIONS

The development that ignited a new tension between Germany and Russia took place on the evening of August 4. An explosive-laden UAV was detected in the area where the Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane was located at Leipzig/Halle Airport. In the statement made after it was neutralized, it was stated that the attack attempt, which required professional preparation, had an "international dimension". At the beginning of September, the German government announced that Russia was behind the attack attempt and responded to the action with a series of decisions, including the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn. Russia responded to Germany's move by closing the Goethe Institutes in different cities of Russia.