Germany Expels Russian Diplomats, Closes Consulate After Tracing Leipzig Drone Attack to Moscow

Germany formally accused Russia of orchestrating the 4 August drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport on Tuesday, announcing the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin as immediate retaliatory measures.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told a press conference in Berlin that police investigations, intelligence findings and the operational pattern of the attack established Russian responsibility. "Taken together, police investigations, patterns of the offences and intelligence findings establish Russian responsibility for the attempted attack," Dobrindt said, according to Al Jazeera. He described the incident as fitting a "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe" and said German authorities expect further attacks, per BBC News.

The attack occurred on the evening of 4 August when a drone carrying a military-grade explosive was discovered near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft at the airport, which is a major logistics hub for DHL and a regular transit point for military cargo for the Bundeswehr and NATO. The drone's detonator was faulty, preventing detonation. About 20 minutes later, a second drone may have collided with a DHL cargo plane, forcing it to abort its landing. A third drone was found in a nearby field ten days later, with forensic technicians from the federal criminal police office finding residues of the highly explosive substance hexogen, according to The Guardian. Investigators' reports indicated "the perpetrators may have had a far larger attack in mind than previously known to the public."

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the closure of Russia's consulate general in Bonn and the termination of the contract for the Russian House in Berlin, which observers have described as a platform for espionage and propaganda. The Russian embassy in Berlin will remain Moscow's only diplomatic mission in Germany, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. Wadephul also said Germany would tighten border controls for Russian nationals, increase pressure on Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, and push for additional EU sanctions and travel restrictions.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously warned that attackers would "pay a price" and confirmed the response was coordinated with EU and NATO partners, as BBC News reported. Merz said on 31 August that there was "broad consensus within the federal government on how we should respond," per Ukrainska Pravda. Politico had reported earlier that Merz planned to blame Russia and respond with sanctions, with sources comparing the expected shift to a "Zeitenwende 2.0" — a reference to the major defence policy change announced by former Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wrote on X that the alliance "stands in full solidarity with Germany," adding that "the evidence is clear." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was "united in our resolve to stand against Russian aggression," per Al Jazeera. The issue is set to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland on Tuesday.

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond to what she called Berlin's "anti-Russian action," according to Interfax, as Al Jazeera reported.

Dobrindt stressed that Germany is "not at war but is a target of hybrid warfare on a daily basis," as Ukrainska Pravda reported. The interior minister said the methods used in Leipzig — including the use of low-level agents — were consistent with other Russian hybrid operations across Europe.