Russia claims that the entire drone drama is fabricated
Russia had nothing to do with the explosive-laden drone that circled a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig airport, claims the Russian embassy in Berlin.
The embassy instead claims that the entire incident is a “fabricated provocation” intended to blame Moscow. The Russians write that there is a lack of evidence, that only Ukraine benefits from the incident and that it seems suspiciously timely that the drone did not explode.
The German newspaper Bild calls the claim of a fabricated provocation a crazy conspiracy theory.
The German government has not explicitly blamed Russia for the incident, but Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has spoken of a hybrid attack that may have involved a foreign power. Other politicians and experts see Russia as the likely perpetrator.
Russia had nothing to do with the explosive-laden drone that circled a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig airport, claims the Russian embassy in Berlin.
The embassy instead claims that the entire incident is a “fabricated provocation” intended to blame Moscow. The Russians write that there is a lack of evidence, that only Ukraine benefits from the incident and that it seems suspiciously timely that the drone did not explode.
The German newspaper Bild calls the claim of a fabricated provocation a crazy conspiracy theory.
The German government has not explicitly blamed Russia for the incident, but Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has spoken of a hybrid attack that may have involved a foreign power. Other politicians and experts see Russia as the likely perpetrator.
Drones have crashed into a gas pipeline in Bulgaria
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev says a drone flew into the country's airspace from Romania on Saturday. This is reported by news agencies.
The drone crashed into a sunflower field on the border between the countries, about a kilometer from a gas pipeline and near the Black Sea. There is no information about injuries, or where the drone came from.
Both Ukraine and Russia have increased the number of attacks in the Black Sea recently. Bloomberg reports that the attacks have prompted Turkey to restrict its shipping traffic in the area.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev says a drone flew into the country's airspace from Romania on Saturday. This is reported by news agencies.
The drone crashed into a sunflower field on the border between the countries, about a kilometer from a gas pipeline and near the Black Sea. There is no information about injuries, or where the drone came from.
Both Ukraine and Russia have increased the number of attacks in the Black Sea recently. Bloomberg reports that the attacks have prompted Turkey to restrict its shipping traffic in the area.
Analysis: Clearly this was not carried out by an amateur
Russia is of course the main suspect for the drone incident at Leipzig airport, says security expert Nico Lange in the Deutsche Welle broadcast.
In addition to the fact that the incident fits into a pattern of Russian behavior in Europe, the drone is said to have carried the explosive Semtex.
– This is not a hobby project, this is a military explosive on a very specialized drone with extra batteries [...] Sophisticated, very serious and extremely dangerous, he says.
In The Guardian, security reporter Dan Sabbagh writes that Semtex is only available to the military or possibly certain terrorist groups, not some “careless amateur drone pilots lurking around”. Russia has also carried out similar hybrid attacks before.
“A dangerous escalation for Europe”, he writes.
In the German left-wing newspaper Taz, Tanja Tricarico believes that the concept of “foreign power” only creates an unpleasant mystique that leads to uncertainty. As soon as possible, politicians must identify a responsible perpetrator, she believes.
The drone alarm — it's about the matter
- A drone with an explosive charge was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport in Germany late Tuesday night.
- According to several German media outlets, the drone was carrying the explosive Semtex, hidden in a tin can. It was disarmed by police after a bus driver kicked it down.
- Germany's Interior Minister has called the incident a hybrid attack and experts point to shortcomings in Germany's drone defense.
- Information that the Ukrainian plane was loaded with ammunition has been denied by a CDU member.
- Earlier this summer, a report was released by the think tank IISS, which concluded that Russia has been conducting a "drone offensive" against Europe over the past two years - often against airports.
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