Kathrine Frich
He rejected the polite language often used by European politicians.
Airports are usually busy hubs filled with excited holidaymakers and tired business travelers. But behind the scenes of one major cargo terminal, a very different kind of activity has been taking place. Now, the fallout is shaking the government.
The diplomatic fallout
The German government is pointing the finger directly at Moscow. Officials say Russia is responsible for a recent drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
A drone packed with explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane on August 4. Security teams defused the device before it could detonate.
The political damage is already done. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that a Russian consulate in Bonn will be forced to shut its doors.
According to Politico cited by Daily Express, the government is also tearing up the operating contract for the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin.
A blunt warning
One prominent German defence executive is taking things a step further. Stefan Thumann runs a company supplying combat drones to Ukraine. He sees the situation in completely stark terms.
Speaking on a podcast, he argued that these sabotage efforts go far beyond simple interference. He called the airport incident an “act of war … controlled and coordinated here by the Russian armed forces.”
He rejected the polite language often used by European politicians. Thumann told Politico quite simply: “Germany and Russia are at war.”
Living in hiding
Thumann knows the danger better than almost anyone else. In 2025, authorities uncovered a plot by Russian intelligence to poison him. Officials warned the executive just before Christmas about the threat.
Since then, his daily routine has completely changed. He told Politico that he now lives at secret locations surrounded by bodyguards.
The executive has turned his official addresses into traps for hostile agents. He has not seen his family for months, and has even drafted a will.
The Leipzig airport remains a major focal point for these ongoing tensions. It serves as a vital base for flying supplies into Ukraine.
A clear pattern
Ukrainian transport planes regularly land at the site. It also handles daily flights for NATO to deliver equipment across Eastern Europe.
This constant activity makes the hub a prime target. According to Western security officials, a similar incident occurred there in 2024 when a cargo container caught fire.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt noted that the latest attack fits a known method of “Russian hybrid operations.” Moscow is facing growing accusations of trying to stir up trouble across Europe.
Sources: Daily Express, Politico, Western security officials, German government
