German forensic police have identified the DNA of two men holding Russian passports, who are suspected of bringing an explosive-laden drone to Leipzig Airport as part of an attack attributed to Russia by Berlin on Tuesday, according to reports from three German publications.
The first suspect, a Belarusian national with a Russian passport, entered the Schengen area using an Italian tourist visa issued in Minsk. This individual has been previously noted for criminal activities in the Baltic countries, as reported by the three media sources.
The second suspect, who possesses both a Latvian and a Russian passport and was born in Russia, is alleged to have acted as the logistical coordinator and instructor for the attack. He arrived in Germany at the end of July via Berlin Airport, rented a car to travel to the eastern region of Leipzig, and left the country two days before the failed attack, according to the same German media reports.
Both men were identified thanks to traces of DNA found by forensic police near the airport: on a drone, on a canister filled with explosives, and on an antenna attached to a tree.
European databases facilitated correlations in Lithuania and Finland, combined with intelligence information, according to these press articles.
On Tuesday, Germany announced retaliatory measures against Russia after accusing it of sending this bomb-laden drone to Leipzig Airport, a crucial military base for the German army and NATO, in early August.
The drone was discovered in the secure area of cargo transport operations near several Ukrainian cargo planes, while a second unmanned aerial vehicle struck a DHL cargo plane minutes later.
According to German media, another drone was later found near the airport, also showing traces of explosive substances.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated on Tuesday that “police investigations, operational methods, and information from intelligence services” demonstrate Russia’s involvement in the attempted attack at Leipzig Airport.
President Vladimir Putin condemned Germany on Tuesday for what he called a “new gross error,” as Germany continues to be the primary financial supporter of Ukraine. Additionally, Russian diplomacy announced on Wednesday that the German chargé d’affaires was summoned to Moscow.
Since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Germany and several other European countries have regularly accused the Kremlin of destabilization operations, espionage, and sabotage within their territories.
