The Leipzig/Halle Airport drone incident refers to events between the last hours of 4 August 2026 and the early hours of 5 August 2026, when two incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) occurred at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Saxony, Germany.

Incidents

The first incident involved a drone carrying explosives, which was found on airport grounds near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft; this prompted the closure of the airport for the following hours. The second incident occurred as a Boeing 757 went around, due to the closure of the airport, after a landing attempt and collided with a second drone.

Investigation and response

German Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt stated that the attack was carried out by professionals, probably on behalf of foreign powers as part of a hybrid war scenario. On 1 September 2026, Germany formally blamed Russia for the hybrid attack and announced the closure of the Russian House in Berlin and the Russian Consulate in Bonn.

Context

Leipzig/Halle Airport is an international airport located in Schkeuditz, Saxony, Germany, serving both Leipzig and Halle. It is a state-owned enterprise, allows 24-hour takeoff and landing for cargo flights, and is notable for having the highest number of freight-only movements in the European Union. As of 2024, it was the second-busiest cargo airport in Germany and the fourth-busiest in Europe. The airport is DHL Aviation’s main European hub and AeroLogic’s main hub, and military installations have been built there for NATO and EU military aircraft.