Russian citizen may have organized Leipzig airport sabotage, investigation says
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
A joint investigation by The Telegraph and Welt am Sonntag alleges Russian citizen Oleg Lyovushkin organized a failed sabotage attempt at Leipzig/Halle Airport on August 5. The drone carrying 1.8 kg of Semtex struck a Ukrainian An-124 but did not detonate. German, Lithuanian and Polish intelligence documents link Lyovushkin to GRU Unit 29155.
Key Facts
- The drone carried approximately 1.8 kg of Semtex explosives and struck the wing of a parked Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane on August 5.
- Oleg Lyovushkin entered Germany via Turkey and on July 31 allegedly conducted surveillance near Leipzig/Halle Airport.
- German investigators believe Lyovushkin recruited Belarusian intermediary Andrei Karshakov to carry out the attack.
- Intelligence agencies say the explosives may have been brought into Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia, hidden in trucks.
- The investigation links the incident to GRU Unit 29155 and to Denis Smolyaninov, sanctioned by the UK for covert sabotage campaigns in Europe.
The Investigation
The Telegraph and Welt am Sonntag based their joint investigation on German, Lithuanian and Polish intelligence documents and interviews with Western intelligence officials. Oleg Lyovushkin entered Germany via Turkey and on July 31 allegedly conducted surveillance near Leipzig/Halle Airport. German investigators believe Lyovushkin planned the attack and recruited Belarusian intermediary Andrei Karshakov to carry it out. The investigation does not include a response from Lyovushkin or the Russian authorities, and his alleged role remains an assertion made in the report.
The Failed Attack
On August 5, a drone carrying around 1.8 kg of Semtex explosives struck the wing of a parked Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The drone fell onto the runway but did not explode. According to intelligence agencies, the explosives may have been brought into Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia, hidden in trucks.
Russian Intelligence Links
The investigation links the incident to GRU Unit 29155 and other drone sabotage operations in Europe. Lyovushkin was in contact for an extended period with Denis Smolyaninov, who is believed to be one of the organizers of Russian sabotage operations. A December 2025 Lithuanian intelligence report linked Smolyaninov to covert sabotage campaigns in Europe, and the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on him. A senior German intelligence official told the publications that acts of sabotage, which previously occurred sporadically, have now become widespread. Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt previously described the incident as a hybrid attack scenario, but said at the time that the suspected organizer had not yet been identified.
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