Belarusian on Italian visa named as key suspect in Leipzig drone attack

September 2, Pozirk. German media have identified a suspected perpetrator of a failed drone bomb attack at Leipzig Airport last month as a Belarusian man who had entered the European Union on an Italian visa issued in Minsk.

According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR and WDR, the Belarusian holds a Russian passport and is known for offenses committed in the Baltic states. German authorities say that he is believed to have entered the Schengen Area using an Italian tourist visa issued at the end of April.

The other suspect is a man of Russian origin holding a Latvian passport.

DNA traces found on a drone, an antenna and the inside of a metal can containing explosives point to the Belarusian as the likely perpetrator, while the Russian-born suspect is believed to have coordinated the operation.

Both men reportedly fled the European Union after the incident, beyond the reach of investigators.

The attempted attack occurred on the night between August 4 and 5, with airport staff discovering an explosives-laden drone inside a restricted area of Leipzig Airport, close to a Ukrainian Antonov An‑124 cargo aircraft used to transport weapons and ammunition for Ukraine’s military.

At least two other drones were found during subsequent searches. One of them had collided with a DHL cargo plane, and fragments of the other carrying 50 grams of hexogen were found in a nearby field on August 14.

Germany accused the Kremlin of orchestrating the attack and announced that it would close Russia’s last remaining consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin.

Moscow denied all accusations.