Frankfurt (Germany), 29 Aug. (LaPresse) – Germany is preparing to blame Russia for the failed attack involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig Airport and to announce new ‘far-reaching’ sanctions against Moscow. This is reported by Politico, citing three officials familiar with the plans of Friedrich Merz’s government. The announcement could come as early as the start of next week, to coincide with the meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for Tuesday in Ireland, or even sooner, at the Chancellor’s discretion. According to the sources, Berlin is reportedly considering measures directed against Russian entities, in parallel with the new package of European sanctions currently being prepared in Brussels. Options are said to include a further tightening of sanctions and even an increase in arms supplies to Ukraine. It is not yet clear whether the German government intends to attribute responsibility for the attack to individual Russian actors or directly to the Russian state. Berlin is also reportedly preparing for possible retaliation from Moscow. According to evidence that has emerged from the investigation, the drone laden with explosives was targeting a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft, which is also used to transport military equipment. An assessment by US intelligence is said to have directly linked the operation to Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement. Chancellor Merz had already promised “serious consequences” following the incident in Leipzig, describing the episode as one of the signs of the “very real threats” facing Germany. “The federal government will make the perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price,” he had stated. Any official attribution, Politico points out, would represent a further hardening of Germany’s stance towards Moscow, at a time marked by a series of incidents classified by European authorities as part of Russia’s hybrid war. The German government has stated that a decision on attribution will only be taken after all the evidence from the investigation has been assessed. The previous cache of weapons discovered in a woodland near Berlin, which investigators believe is linked to Russian activities, is said to have contributed to the government’s new stance.
Germany: Berlin set to accuse Russia over explosive drones in Leipzig
Frankfurt (Germany), 29 Aug. (LaPresse) – Germany is preparing to blame Russia for the failed attack involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig Airport and to announce new ‘far-reaching’ sanctions against Moscow. This is reported by Politico, citing three officials familiar with the plans of Friedrich Merz’s government. The announcement could come as early as the start of next week, to coincide with the meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for Tuesday in Ireland, or even sooner, at the Chancellor’s discretion. According to the sources, Berlin is reportedly considering measures directed against Russian entities, in parallel with the new package of European sanctions currently being prepared in Brussels. Options are said to include a further tightening of sanctions and even an increase in arms supplies to Ukraine. It is not yet clear whether the German government intends to attribute responsibility for the attack to individual Russian actors or directly to the Russian state. Berlin is also reportedly preparing for possible retaliation from Moscow. According to evidence that has emerged from the investigation, the drone laden with explosives was targeting a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft, which is also used to transport military equipment. An assessment by US intelligence is said to have directly linked the operation to Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement. Chancellor Merz had already promised “serious consequences” following the incident in Leipzig, describing the episode as one of the signs of the “very real threats” facing Germany. “The federal government will make the perpetrators of hybrid attacks pay a price,” he had stated. Any official attribution, Politico points out, would represent a further hardening of Germany’s stance towards Moscow, at a time marked by a series of incidents classified by European authorities as part of Russia’s hybrid war. The German government has stated that a decision on attribution will only be taken after all the evidence from the investigation has been assessed. The previous cache of weapons discovered in a woodland near Berlin, which investigators believe is linked to Russian activities, is said to have contributed to the government’s new stance.