German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has raised alarms about the country encountering daily hybrid attacks attributed to foreign powers, although he did not specify these entities, according to Politico.
In an interview with BILD, Dobrindt described espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, and clandestine actions aimed at destabilizing Germany or directly affecting it as an ongoing reality. This statement comes in the wake of a drone incident at Leipzig Airport earlier this week.
Authorities reported on Wednesday that an explosive-laden drone was spotted just meters away from a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport, and the drone was subsequently shot down by a bus driver.
On Thursday, Dobrindt suggested that the incident could have involved a state actor.
The targeted airport serves as a crucial hub for NATO logistics, being the main operational base for the Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) managed by the Alliance, which operates a fleet of Antonov aircraft. It also facilitates cargo transport for various companies, including DHL, as noted by Reuters.
A spokesperson from the German Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday that Russia is behind daily attempts to influence Germany in ways aimed at undermining democracy and eroding trust in politics and politicians.
Russia’s Response
On Friday, the Russian embassy in Berlin expressed its concern over a new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany, describing the incident at Leipzig Airport as a “completely fabricated provocation” that serves only the interests of Kyiv and the militaristic wing of the European political establishment.
The Russian diplomatic mission further asserted that the main danger Germany faces today does not stem from the alleged ‘hybrid attacks’ by Moscow, which it claims do not exist, but rather from politicians enthusiastically crafting scenarios of imminent war with Russia.
