The UK has summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires in solidarity with Germany after Berlin accused Moscow of orchestrating an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, marking a further escalation in western governments’ response to alleged Russian sabotage operations.
German authorities have attributed the August incident to Russia after explosives were discovered close to Ukrainian cargo aircraft at the airport.
Investigators believe the devices failed to detonate because of a faulty detonator.
The British government said it was backing Berlin and condemned the alleged attack as part of a wider campaign against European security.
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A UK government spokesperson said: “The UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia’s egregious and reckless attack on Leipzig Airport,” adding that Russian attempts to undermine the resolve of Ukraine’s allies were “futile”.
“This is the latest in a clear pattern of attempts by the Russian state to undermine our collective security, and that is why today we have summoned the Russian charge d’affaires to condemn the attack in the strongest terms.”
The statement was repeated and expanded by Downing Street.
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters: “The UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia’s egregious and reckless attack on Leipzig airport.
“The UK’s commitment to defending our Nato allies and supporting Ukraine is ironclad, and any attempt by Russia to undermine our united resolve is futile.
“This is the latest in a clear pattern of attempts by the Russian state to undermine our collective security, and that is why today we have summoned the Russian charge d’affaires to condemn the attack in the strongest terms and underlined that, alongside our European and Nato partners, the UK will continue to expose Russian hostile activity at every level.”
The diplomatic intervention follows comments by Germany’s interior minister Alexander Dobrindt, who said the Leipzig/Halle incident formed part of a wider pattern of “Russian hybrid operations”.
On Wednesday, German investigators identified two suspects whom they accused of carrying out the attempted drone attack.
The alleged operation has added to growing concern among European governments over the targeting of critical infrastructure and facilities supporting Ukraine, amid a broader deterioration in relations between Russia and Nato.
For the UK, the decision to summon Russia’s diplomatic representative marks a further attempt to signal that alleged covert operations against European allies will attract a collective response.
The episode also places Leipzig/Halle under heightened scrutiny because of its role in supporting Ukrainian logistics and wider European military operations.
Berlin’s attribution of the incident to Moscow, followed by London’s public expression of solidarity, underlines the growing willingness among Nato governments to respond jointly to what they regard as Russian hostile activity below the threshold of open military conflict.
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