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Suspected Explosives Found Meters From Crashed Drone Near Germany’s Wunstorf Air Base
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German investigators are examining suspected explosives found meters from a crashed drone near Wunstorf Air Base in Lower Saxony, as authorities probe a possible link to the August sabotage attempt at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
The findings were reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR in a joint investigation published September 22.
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A farmer discovered the drone, broken into several pieces, near the Wunstorf airfield about a week earlier, the outlets noted.
Officials later found suspicious material only a few meters from the site, which security circles believe be explosive, according to the investigation. Forensic analysis of the substance has not been completed, the outlets added.
The case now involves the federal prosecutor general's office and the Federal Criminal Police Office, the outlets wrote. Investigators are examining whether the Wunstorf drone connects to the Leipzig plot, though no link has been established.
The device was reportedly built similarly to the drones used in the Leipzig attack, with at least one component manufactured using a 3D printer, according to the outlets. Investigators also believe the drone may have been lying near the airfield for a longer period, possibly up to two years, the outlets indicated.
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Wunstorf hosts the Bundeswehr's A400M transport fleet and is considered a central hub for supplying German forces worldwide with equipment and personnel, the outlets explained.
Germany has held Russia responsible for the Leipzig incident, in which attackers allegedly sought to destroy Ukrainian cargo aircraft.
Two suspects remain at the center of the case: Oleg L., a Latvian national holding a Russian passport, and Andrei K., a Belarusian-Russian dual citizen.
Officials believe Oleg L. flew into Germany via Berlin before the attack and drove a rental car toward Saxony. He reportedly left the country shortly before the attack occurred, acting as a logistical coordinator, the outlets confirmed.
The outlets reported that Oleg L. has maintained contacts with Russia's GRU military intelligence service for years, particularly with Colonel Denis Smolyaninov.
Western security agencies have linked Smolyaninov to sabotage operations against countries supporting Ukraine and have sanctioned him as a result.
Documents obtained by the London-based Dossier Center, funded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky and shared with the three outlets, support that assessment, Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR indicated.
Andrei K., the second suspect, was previously flagged for minor offenses in the Baltic states and Finland, the outlets reported. He reportedly entered Germany on an Italian tourist visa, and his DNA was recovered at the Leipzig crime scene.
A spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor general's office pointed to the ongoing investigation and declined to comment further on the case, according to the investigation.
The Wunstorf discovery was also discussed Tuesday during the weekly intelligence briefing at the Chancellery, where the heads of Germany's security agencies meet, the outlets noted.
Smolyaninov and Oleg L. could not be reached for comment last week, the investigation added. Russia's Defense
The Ministry left questions about the allegations unanswered, and Moscow has denied involvement in the Leipzig sabotage attempt. No connection between the Wunstorf find and the Leipzig case has been confirmed, and both investigations remain ongoing.
This was not the first time a separate drone discovery prompted investigators to examine a possible link to the Leipzig case.
In mid-August, a drone forced repeated runway and airspace closures at Hanover-Langenhagen Airport, and police opened a parallel inquiry into a possible connection to the Leipzig plot. No direct link was confirmed, but investigators noted the device had evaded the airport's detection systems entirely, fueling concern about a broader pattern of interference with German aviation infrastructure.
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-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-91ea40b37043b5ef58c8aceb58a7b970.jpeg "A dark plume of smoke rises over Samara following Ukrainian drone strikes on the Kuibyshev Oil Refinery. (Source: OSINT channel Exilenova+)")