Russia says NATO found no evidence in Leipzig drone case

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service said Tuesday that NATO intelligence agencies privately concluded there is no evidence linking Moscow to an attempted drone attack at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport, directly contradicting Berlin's public accusations against the Kremlin.

Private assessments

The SVR stated in a Telegram post that Western intelligence services examined the circumstances of the August 4 incident and informed their governments that no proof of Russian involvement existed. "Many in the West are only pretending to believe the German leadership," the agency said, noting that allies publicly expressed solidarity with Berlin while privately acknowledging a different reality.

The intelligence service added that NATO agencies had identified "numerous signs of a 'Ukrainian trace'" at the scene. "Government agencies were advised to refrain from categorical, and especially public, statements about Moscow's guilt," it said, according to the statement released Tuesday.

German allegations

German authorities have blamed Russia for the attempted attack, in which an explosives-laden drone was discovered near Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The device failed to explode and was safely defused by security personnel on August 4.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said earlier this month that the incident followed what he described as a "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe." The SVR dismissed these claims as politically motivated, accusing Berlin of fabricating the plot to justify increased defense spending in its 2027 budget.

Election context

The Russian agency linked the timing of the accusations to Germany's domestic political calendar, citing the Sept. 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt and upcoming polls in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. President Vladimir Putin has also rejected the allegations, stating that German authorities planted evidence to falsely implicate Moscow.