German security officials suspect a Russian national named Oleg Li, who is believed to be linked to Russian military intelligence, of coordinating a plot to carry out an attack involving a bomb-laden drone inside Leipzig Airport in August last year, according to German media reports published on Saturday. Investigators identified a second suspect as a Belarusian national named Andrei K.
DNA traces and the explosives’ transport route
Investigators estimate that Oleg Li entered Germany from Turkey, then left for Serbia via Berlin Airport before later returning to Russia. When he entered, the authorities were aware of his possible links to Russian military intelligence, but did not place him under surveillance after his arrival.
The investigation’s findings formed the basis for Berlin’s accusation that Moscow was behind the incident and for measures that included closing the Russian consulate in Bonn and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. Russia denies any role in the incident. A spokeswoman for Germany’s domestic intelligence agency said she could not comment on the reports while the investigations were ongoing.
The case comes as Germany, which has supported Ukraine since the war began in 2022, faces acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and security threats, with suspicions in several cases pointing to Moscow.
