Minister awaits data on Leipzig drone links to Lithuania

Lithuania’s defence minister, Robertas Kaunas, expects to receive this week more information about a DNA trace that German investigators say may link a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport to a Lithuanian case involving incendiary packages, LRT reported.

“This week I will receive all the information related to this incident and the report that DNA traces also lead through Lithuanian territory and are linked to indications identified in Lithuania. The information will be provided to me this week, and then we will assess the entire course of events,” Kaunas told reporters on Wednesday.

Last week, a drone carrying explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany. Another aircraft collided in the air with an unidentified object and was slightly damaged.

Leipzig/Halle Airport is the base of Ukrainian cargo airline Antonov Airlines. It is also one of Europe’s key cargo hubs and is important for military logistics, handling military shipments for Germany’s armed forces and NATO allies.

German newspaper Bild reported on Monday that the trace matched one found after an incident at a DHL logistics centre in Leipzig in July 2024. The trace has not been linked to a specific person.

Incendiary package case under investigation

The case involving incendiary devices is being heard by the Vilnius Regional Court, with five people charged. According to officials, they acted as operatives and intermediaries, while the organisers of the crime are in Russia and currently cannot be reached.

Investigators have established that the crimes were organised by the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Citing sources, The Wall Street Journal reported last week that US intelligence also links the Leipzig drone incident to Russia. The incident occurred as Lithuania and other countries were warning about possible Russian provocations in the region.

Kaunas said last week that Russia was considering attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic region using Ukrainian-made drones.

“All services are carrying out their work in assessing intelligence,” the minister said, adding that a response to a possible attack had also been discussed.

Military support for infrastructure security extended

Since June 18, the Lithuanian military has been assisting the Public Security Service in protecting the liquefied natural gas terminal in Klaipėda, the LitPol Link electricity connection substation in Alytus, a transformer substation in Alytus district and the Kruonis pumped-storage hydropower plant.

On July 17, Kaunas signed an order extending the protection until August 19. The military is to provide up to 30 personnel equipped with transport, as well as a vessel or boat with a crew.

“Preliminarily, we are considering extending the measures. We are reviewing and assessing the situation and discussing with the Interior Ministry whether anything additional is needed or whether what we have already assigned is sufficient,” Kaunas said.

He also stressed that air defence was a priority in view of the threats, but said the industry was not fully capable of meeting the demand. Lithuania has previously said it aims to have a fully integrated air-defence detection system before 2030.