An explosive drone found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig airport in Germany earlier this month bore the hallmarks of devices typically employed by Russia’s Military Intelligence Directorate, the GRU, a U.S. intelligence source told ABC News.
The U.S. official, who was briefed on the investigation into the alleged sabotage plot, said the explosives fitted to the drone as well as the structure of the lethal device were “typical” of those used by Russia’s GRU.
This U.S. assessment was made in conjunction with German security and intelligence agencies, the source added.
In a statement released on Monday, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR, accused German politicians and European media outlets of “immediately” reaching “an equivocal conclusion” and of accusing Russia, “without even waiting for the preliminary results of the investigation.”
The discovery of the small drone fitted, German officials said, with explosives and a detonator on Aug. 4 led to the temporary shutdown of Leipzig airport as bomb disposal teams deployed a robot to secure the device, which did not explode.
At the time, Germany’s Interior Minister said a drone armed with explosives at an airport represented “a new threat scenario” and said the plot involved a “high level of technical expertise”.
The U.S. intelligence source briefed on the investigation told ABC News the device failed to explode because its triggering mechanism was disconnected.
German Federal Police told ABC News that “due to ongoing investigations, no further comment is intended.”
Leipzig airport is a major cargo hub and is used by the U.S. military and NATO allies to transport armaments to Ukraine.