Germany Faces Daily ‘Hybrid Warfare’ Threats After Suspected Explosive Drone Incident

BERLIN: Germany is facing a daily threat from what Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described as “hybrid warfare” by foreign actors, following the discovery of a drone equipped with explosives near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Dobrindt said Germany was being confronted with a combination of espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks and covert operations intended to destabilise the country politically and socially. He did not identify any specific country as being responsible for the alleged activities.

The warning came after an explosive-laden drone was discovered near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport earlier in the week. German authorities have launched a federal investigation into the incident, which has raised concerns over the security of critical transport and logistics infrastructure.

The drone was reportedly fitted with professional explosives and a detonator. A separate incident also involved a cargo aircraft that apparently struck an unidentified drone while attempting to land, sustaining minor damage before landing safely in Hanover.

Leipzig/Halle Airport is an important cargo and logistics hub and also plays a role in NATO’s Strategic Airlift International Solution, making the incident particularly sensitive from a national and regional security perspective.

German authorities have also reported further drone activity. Two drones were spotted above a military base in western Germany, according to authorities, two days after the suspected attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

The incidents have prompted increased scrutiny of possible threats to Germany’s military facilities, transport networks and other critical infrastructure. German officials have not publicly established who was behind the suspected airport attack.

Some German lawmakers have raised the possibility of Russian involvement, citing broader concerns over hybrid threats. Moscow, however, has rejected such suggestions and described the Leipzig incident as a “fabricated provocation,” accusing Germany of promoting anti-Russian sentiment.

Dobrindt said Germany must strengthen its capacity to respond to emerging threats, including through greater investment in drone-related research and technology.

The developments underscore growing European concerns about the use of drones, cyber operations, sabotage and covert activities as tools of hybrid warfare amid heightened tensions between Russia and Western countries.