German investigators have found another drone carrying explosives in connection with the suspected attack on Leipzig/Halle airport, German media reported on August 25, 2026.
DR reports that several German outlets, including NDR, WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung, have described the new find. According to those reports, investigators discovered the drone on August 14, ten days after the first incident on August 4.
The following day, security sources said investigators found about 50 grams of a substance at the site. Initial assessments indicate it may have been hexogen, a high explosive used by militaries. Germany’s federal prosecution service has not responded to inquiries from the German outlets.
Reuters reported on August 25 that the details come from NDR, WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung, and that authorities have not publicly confirmed them. Reuters described the case as a suspected failed attack on a major air cargo and NATO logistics site.
The first drone was found on August 4 near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft used to transport military equipment. The discovery led to a temporary closure of the airport. Investigators also suspect that a second drone the same evening may have collided with a DHL freight plane.
Leipzig/Halle is a key hub for both freight and military logistics. The airport is used for NATO transport of military equipment, and Ukrainian Antonov cargo planes are based there. Security sources cited in the German media suspect Russian involvement, an accusation Russia has rejected.
Prosecutors and government response
Germany’s federal prosecution service has taken over the investigation. It assesses that there is sufficient evidence that the drone found on August 4 was intended to trigger an explosion. Reuters reported on August 6 that prosecutors said the device carried professional explosive and a detonator.
The German government has stressed that it wants clear proof of who is responsible before drawing conclusions. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has not commented on the latest drone find. He has previously said that those behind it will pay for it.
After the August incident, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Germany faces what he calls a hybrid attack scenario. At a press conference on August 6, he said similar attempts, including hybrid operations and attacks, cannot be ruled out. According to Reuters, he had described the case on August 5 as a new kind of danger.
Dobrindt also pointed to expanded drone research as part of Germany’s response to the new threats. The German news agency dpa reported that a new research center for drone security will be set up in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Technologies for protection against drones are to be developed and tested there.
