The key facts

  • Damage to the fence at Leipzig/Halle airport was discovered overnight into Saturday next to three Russian An-124s that have been parked there since 2022 under EU sanctions
  • Two men aged 20 and 32 turned themselves in to police on Sunday evening; the 20-year-old said he lost control while preparing for a driving test and did not have a driving licence
  • This is the second security incident at the airport in three months: in August a drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft, for which Berlin blamed Russia

Fence damage and large-scale search operation

Damage to the perimeter fence of Leipzig/Halle airport was discovered on Saturday shortly before 23:00 local time. Police said that, according to preliminary data, a vehicle drove through the fence along a publicly accessible road — at a section located next to the parked Russian An-124 cargo aircraft. Three An-124 aircraft have been at the airport since 2022 and cannot take off due to EU sanctions against Russia. After the damage was discovered, the affected section of the fence was cordoned off and placed under guard.

Search yielded no results, runway closed

Police launched a large-scale operation: numerous emergency services combed the airport grounds, but neither the vehicle nor any unauthorized persons could be found. Police spokesperson Theresia Leverenz said it was 'quite likely' that a vehicle drove through the fence, but nothing was found during the overnight search. According to her, after the incident flights on the northern side of the airport were suspended, the northern runway remained closed to air traffic, and DHL cargo aircraft, which use the Leipzig/Halle hub, were rerouted via the southern runway. The search continued on Sunday with additional personnel. According to media reports, a panoramic camera at the scene did not capture the incident.

Two men turned themselves in to police

On Sunday evening, two men from Leipzig aged 20 and 32 turned themselves in to police accompanied by lawyers, the Leipzig police department reported. According to local media, they said they were preparing for a driving test when they lost control of the car and drove through the airport fence. The 20-year-old man explained through his lawyer that overnight into Saturday he lost control of the car in the airport area, drove through the fence, left the scene and called a tow truck for the vehicle; he did not have a driving licence. The 32-year-old admitted that he was the owner of the car and gave no further details. The car was seized and the investigation continues.

Second incident in three months against the Russian-Ukrainian backdrop

This is already the second security incident at Leipzig airport in three months. In early August, a drone rigged with explosives was discovered on the airport grounds near Ukrainian cargo aircraft; it failed to detonate and was later defused. Leipzig/Halle is a logistics hub for aid to Ukraine. The German government blamed Russia for the attempted attack: Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the investigation had confirmed Russian responsibility, and the federal government warned of a possible escalation of Russian hybrid attacks on Germany's critical infrastructure. In September, Berlin ordered the closure of Russia's consulate general in Bonn and its cultural center in the capital. Moscow has rejected all accusations and denies any involvement.