By Kirsten Ripper & Euronews
On the night of 5 August 2026, Leipzig/Halle Airport came close to disaster when a drone fitted with explosives and a detonator appeared near a cargo aircraft operated by Ukrainian Antonov Airlines. Ammunition destined for Ukraine is reported to have been on board.
According to new findings, reported by the weekly Die Zeit, CCTV footage shows that at around 7.30 pm the drone deliberately flew towards the Ukrainian cargo aircraft and slammed into its wing. The device packed with Semtex did not explode on impact, however, but bounced off the Antonov and fell to the ground. The explosives appear to have become detached from the drone. According to Bild, the drone struck the Antonov close to the aircraft's fuel tank.
The drone was not picked up by any security system later that evening; instead, according to the report, an airport bus driver noticed the dangerous device four hours after the collision. He stepped on the drone with his foot. The explosives were apparently lying some distance away.
DNA trace on the drone apparently leads to Lithuania
