A drone, possibly with explosives, was found near a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig Airport

Flight operations at Leipzig/Halle Airport were temporarily suspended on the night leading into August 5 after a drone and a suspicious object were found near the southern runway.

According to the German police, an unknown flying object was initially spotted over the airport grounds. Law enforcement officers subsequently found a suspicious object, and the Federal Police brought in explosives experts and a remote-controlled robot to investigate it.

A NATO representative said the drone was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft. The police confiscated the drone. According to German media reports citing sources in security services, the drone may have been equipped with explosives and a detonator. No official expert findings have been released as yet.

The airport was completely shut down because of the incident until about 01:55. Several aircraft were diverted to other airports, including a passenger flight from Majorca to Nuremberg. In the morning, air traffic resumed on the northern runway, while the southern strip remained closed for investigative purposes.

Officers are looking into whether a connection exists between the appearance of the flying object and the object that was found. The possibility of intentional sabotage is being considered, though this has not been confirmed as yet. According to an assessment by the police, there is no danger to the public.

Leipzig/Halle Airport is one of Germany's busiest air cargo hubs. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, it has also been a base for some aircraft of the Ukrainian cargo firm Antonov Airlines.

Based on materials from: Süddeutsche Zeitung, Welt